


How to Raise Your Human(s)

by Dawne_Diely



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Alternate Dimension, Alternate Pronouns, Alternate Universe - Aliens, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkwardness, Breastfeeding, Caretaking, Dean is a good bro, Diapers, Fluff, Gen, Humiliation, Infantilism, Misgendering, Misunderstandings, Nursing, Pacifiers, Sick!Dean, Slight feminization, Toddler!Sam, Wetting, adults being treated like children, alien genders don't match human genders, baby!dean - Freeform, bottle feeding, hurt!Dean, meant to be a happy-ish story, mentions of breastfeeding, multiple genders, sam is a good bro, somewhat silly, swaddling, three primary genders, zim/zis/zee pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2018-10-13 22:49:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 50,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10523544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawne_Diely/pseuds/Dawne_Diely
Summary: Somehow Sam and Dean managed to get themselves transported to an alternate dimension… one filled with humanoid creatures that are giant in comparison to the two hunters, the kind-natured Sevit. But these creatures know about the other dimensions, and have extensive notes on humans and how they are cared for. Unfortunately, their notes aren’t entirely accurate nor complete, and they don’t seem to get that Sam and Dean are ADULT humans. In an effort to learn about humans more and take care of the small little beings that appeared from nowhere, the boys are in for a caretaking experience filled with outrageous misunderstandings. Castiel is on the way to rescue them, but in the meantime, the Winchester brothers are at the mercy of their well-meaning, if clueless new caretakers.





	1. In the depths of the Bunker

On a lazy afternoon in the depths of the Men of Letters Bunker archives, Sam, Dean, and Castiel were searching through old spell books, looking for a locating spell that might help them track down Kelly Kline, the would-be mother of Lucifer’s child.

“For a bunch of Librarians, these guys had no idea how to organize,” Dean chucked another useless book into the pile that was slowly growing next to him.

“Dean, be a little more careful with that stuff, would you?” Sam said, his tone only half serious. “But yeah, would it have killed them to use the Dewy system, at least?”

Dean rolled his eyes teasingly. “Of course you’d know the name for the system. I bet your big nerd brain is just itching to put every book right in its proper place.”

“It would make stuff like this easier!” Sam huffed, putting the book in his hands aside. “Any luck yet, Cas?”

“None so far,” he said, his eyes glued onto the book held in his hand. “Although, I’ve found some rather fascinating information.” Castiel turned the book, offering it to Sam.

Sam took it, holding it out for Dean to get a good look at too. “What is it?”

“It seems the Men of Letters were at one point attempting to complete inter-dimensionary travel. It’s a skill all angels possess, though with my wings still damaged, I’d probably need a boost of some kind. Still, for humans with limited knowledge on angels, they got remarkably close.”

“Dimension travel, you mean like that time Balthazar zapped us into TV Land?” Dean said with a frown.

Castiel shook his head. “That was traversing alternate realities. This is slightly different, and a bit easier. The same rules of our universe apply across the different dimensions, and the barriers between them are much weaker. People pop through dimensions by accident all the time.”

“This is crazy,” Sam said, excitedly examining the page. “Their research suggests that they didn’t need any special ingredients to travel through dimensions. Only this crazy complicated sigil and a few words in latin.”

Dean took the book in one of his hands holding it with Sam. “Yeah, but the handwriting is all screwy. I can hardly read what the incantation says. Imus… ah loagm iquotun?”

“Its just written in cursive,” Sam said, placing his finger just below the sigil. “It says, _‘Imus ad locum ignotum._ ’”

No sooner had the words left Sam’s mouth than both brothers realized how monumentally stupid it was for them to be reciting the incantation aloud. For one moment, they looked at each other in horror, and in the next, there was a blinding flash of light, yanking both boys away from the bunker.

Castiel blinked as the light faded, now alone sitting on the bunker’s dirty floor, the book now lying innocently on the floor. With a furrowed brow Castiel picked up the book and sighed. “Of course. Now I’ll have to go and find _them_ too.”

* * *

 

In another dimension lived creatures called the Sevit. They were a peaceful people living in an advanced society, one driven by the desire to preserve their planet and the pursuit of knowledge.

The sevit were giants compared to the humans in the Winchester’s dimension. They had skin, much like humans, but it was highly silvered, with slight variations in tone from individual to individual. They had two eyes, two ears, two arms and legs. They walked upright on their feet, and hand opposable thumbs on each of their two hands. But different from humans, they had six fingers and toes instead of five. And their were no things such as teeth, just full lips, as the sevit never ate anything tough or hard.

The sevit lived in harmony with one another and with their planet, taking care of all life forms and ensuring that the environment could keep balance with itself, and it was a passion for most of the sevit.

One day, two sevitis, named Keelo and Noxu made an exciting, yet troubling discovery.

While walking through the fields of blue grass, discussing their studies where they both worked, a bright flash of light caused Keelo and Noxu to pause.

“What was that?” Noxu wondered aloud.

Keelo tilted his head, staring in the direction where the light had come from. But there was no more movement. “I don’t know. But I think we should investigate.”

Poking through the grass, it was a few moments before Keelo made the discovery.

Lying on top of each other laid two tiny creatures, unconscious on the ground. Keelo felt his heart leap. As carefully as she could manage, Keelo scooped the two little things into his hands, calling Noxu over quickly. "Look, he said, passing the larger of the two to zim.

Noxu's eyes widened as he looked at the delicate feeling creature. It almost looked like a miniature sevit, just with different coloring. "Is this..." zee said slowly.

"I believe they may be 'humans,'" Keelo said, his voice hushed.

"In our dimension!" Noxu said, astonished. "I didn't know that humans possessed the ability to traverse through the barriers!"

"Perhaps it is a new development," Keelo said, unable to take his eyes off the human in his nestled in his hand.

Noxu was nearly vibrating with excitement and nerves. "But what in Kizarain were they thinking sending such small beings on such a perilous journey!"

"I was thinking the same thing," Keelo frowned, looking closer now at the human in Noxu's careful hold. "These younglings seem so fragile, I can't help but wonder..."

"What is it?" Noxu asked, sensing the concern in Keelo's voice.

"I wonder... if these humans were abandoned."

Noxu barely held back a gasp. "You think they were purposefully disposed of?"

"I...can't say for sure," Keelo admitted. "But look at them both. They are covered in marks, and that is only on their visible skin. These are from wounds and sores. It seems to me that they haven't been cared for properly, and perhaps they've been neglected or abused."

Noxu was visibly horrified and saddened. "What should we do, Keelo? Send them back to their own dimension? Hope that they land in better hands?"

Keelo swallowed, bringing the human in his hand closer to his breast. "I know that we should send them back," Keelo said slowly. "It is only right that creatures should stay in their home dimensions. But..." Keelo took his smallest finger and ran it down the side of the human's face, watching in wonder as it wriggled slightly, pressing into his touch. "No. No, we'll not send them back. I cannot send these innocent younglings back into such suffering. It would surely mean their deaths." Keelo said with conviction.

"So then, what will we do?"

"We'll take them with us. We have records of the human race, what they need to survive. We'll enlist the help of others. We'll raise them and take care of them, show them what love is."

Noxu nodded, and they both felt a jolt of excitement.

They were going to raise the first humans.

 


	2. Making Room for Babies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section contains discussion about biological sex, gender, and misgendering. If these are sensitive topics for you, please be warned! The material in this chapter is not meant to be discriminatory or hateful. These are just an alien species who don't have complete knowledge of humanity.

Excited murmurs and whispers traveled around the group of Sevit, clustered around Keelo and Noxu. Everyone was excited to see the little humans, and they were thrilled at the opportunity to learn about humans up close.

Keelo directed a few of the sevitis to pull out their files on what they had learned about humanity by observing through the dimensions while he and Noxu brought the two sleeping humans deep into the labs where they worked.

“Let’s clean them, and make sure they don’t have any lingering injuries,” Keelo said to Noxu, who nodded seriously.

The coverings on the little humans were thin and worn. While they were soft to the touch, Keelo couldn’t help but feel astonished that the humans had left their young, even as clearly neglected as these two, with such flimsy coverings. Had the humans _wanted_ their younglings to be exposed to the harsh elements? Keelo carefully cut away the fabric of the smaller human, watching as Noxu did the same with the slighter larger. They were being careful not to distort the clothing so that they could study it later, but for now it was much more important to care for the younglings. As Keelo pulled the last of the cloth away, many Sevitis watching gasped aloud.

The youngling was covered in scar tissue. Some wide, and some deep, the crisscrossed the front of the poor little thing’s stomach, chest, and legs. Keelo noticed a white square pressed firmly to the human’s side, a uneven splotch of red staining the center of what Keelo realized was a crude bandage. Feeling concern bubble inside him, Keelo carefully pulled back the bandage, and felt his heart sink. “This one is badly injured,” Keelo said urgently. “I need antiseptic and bandages. This wound could already be infected.”

A few sevitis scrambled quickly around, handing Keelo what he needed. Working quickly, Keelo began applying the antiseptic liquid to the open wound. When the antiseptic made contact, the human jerked in it’s sleep, a pained sounding moan coming from it’s throat, making the hearts of every sevit in the room break.

“Here,” said a young sevit, brandishing the nipple of a feeding bottle. “Put this in the human’s mouth. I read that humans use similar items to sooth their infants when in distress.”

Keelo took the nipple gratefully, and eased it into the baby’s mouth. The human worked it’s jaw, clamping down on the silicone and moving it around it it’s mouth as it settled down once more. “This poor little creature. We’ll have to keep careful watch of this injury to make sure it heals,” Keelo said somberly as he began to dress the wound. “How goes the other human, Noxu?”

Keelo looked up at Noxu, only to see tears in zis eyes. “H-human skin discolors when under great trauma, and…just look Keelo…” Noxu held out the human in zis gentle hands.

Keelo looked, and he felt his stomach sink even deeper. This human, while no open wounds were visible, was _covered_ in bruising. The left side was blue and purple, blotches racing up from the thigh to the shoulder blade.

“What kind of monsters could mistreat such fragile beings?” Noxu said, bringing the larger human back to be cradled close to zis chest.

“I don’t know. But rest assured, we will not allow this younglings to suffer any longer,” Keelo said with conviction. “Here, lets clean them off with these towels and get them dressed. Humans need warmth to stay healthy.”

Keelo and Noxu wiped down the humans gingerly with the wet towels, and dried them off, noticing more bruising and scars on both younglings. Once they were done, a sevit brought Keelo and Noxu garments.

“Our records say that humans wrap their young in diapers to keep them sanitary. As the grow, they can be taught to use facilities,” she said, brandishing tiny little diapers, clothes, and blankets.

It was a similar process to diaper a sevit youngling, so it was the work of only minutes until the humans were dressed in diapers and white bodysuits, thick booties covering their feet and mittens for their hands. Keelo and Noxu were mindful of the wounded areas of the humans’ bodies, and Keelo was especially gentle because of the open wound in the baby’s side.

“What sex do you suppose they are?” Noxu asked curiously as zee worked. “Zeemale? Female? Male? I’m not sure how to tell in humans.”

Keelo shook his head. “Humans are different from us. They have only two primary sexes, though multiple genders. At the earliest stages of life, gender is attached to sex, though it sometimes varies in certain humans. Unfortunately, all we can do is gender them by their biological sexes for now.”

Keelo picked up the baby human in one arm, carefully keeping it’s injured side pressure-free, and the slightly older (perhaps a toddler?) human in the other. “In our observations, the male and female humans look almost identical as younglings. But the male humans often keep the hair on their head short, while the females let it grow out longer…” Keelo examined the two humans, noting how the bigger, older human’s hair brushed fell into it’s face, while the baby human’s hair was cut short. “The older human must be female,” Keelo said confidently, “and the other must be male.”

“Its so strange to think…only two biological sexes…” Noxu said in wonder, gently brushing zis fingers through the now identified male youngling’s short hair. “What are the differences between male and female humans?”

“We have a few notes on suspected differences. Mostly the clothes worn and perhaps color preferences. But we’ve seen enough contradictory information that I can’t be sure. As they grow, we may be able to document the differences between them, and learn a bit more.”

The Sevitis still in the room began chatting to themselves excitedly as Keelo stood with the freshly cleaned and dressed humans. Keelo carried them out and into another room, which a few sevitis were still arranging. The sevits had been setting up a makeshift nursery based on the records they had of humans, creating beds with sturdy cribs to keep the younglings safe from falling out of bed, numerous amounts of stuffed dolls and soft things, and many blankets so the humans could be tucked into sleep.

Keelo brought the toddler female to the slightly longer crib, laying her gently down and tucking blankets securely around her, smiling when the delicate creature sighed in her sleep and snuggled deeply into the blankets. Then Keelo carried the male baby to the other crib, and after a moment of wondering, grabbed a plush sevit doll with an over-stuffed belly. Keelo carefully laid the baby onto the doll’s stomach, positioning him so that his wounded side was facing upwards. Then, he took a blanket and began tightly wrapping it around both human and doll, swaddling the baby so that he wouldn’t roll over in his sleep and aggravate his wound further.

Once he was done, Keelo stood back next to Noxu, to look at the younglings, and felt warmth in his heart. They looked so adorable, the female cocooned into her blankets and the male snuggled against the doll, that was bigger than him!

“I’ll take the first watch over them,” Keelo said to Noxu. “We should keep constant surveillance over them for now, especially while they are still unconscious. Who knows how they might react once they wake?”

Noxu nodded. “I’m glad to watch over them next. I’ll get some rest in the meantime, so I can be alert.”

Keelo watched Noxu go, and sat down in a chair next to the beds, nodding at the other sevit as he left the room too. Keelo watched the sleeping humans, feeling uncertain, but also hopeful that he would be able to provide the little ones with a better life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.. the Sevit think that Sam is the older because he is bigger, and that Dean is a younger baby. But they also think that Sam is female because of his long hair! I hope that was clear!
> 
> Thanks for reading


	3. Sam Wakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone in the comments asked how big the Sevit are compared to Sam and Dean. I'll try and draw a scale comparison and upload in a few days at the least, so you can see. But Sam and Dean are about the size of a newborn baby compared to an adult. They're smaller than the Sevit's forearm.
> 
> thanks for reading

Sam’s side was throbbing painfully, he must have rolled onto it in his sleep. Sam rolled himself over onto his unbruised side, cursing the vampire that had thrown him through a wall in last week’s hunt. Dean had been injured on that hunt as well, a vamp had managed to knife him in the side. But Dean had insisted the injury was fine, and that it would heal on its own. So Sam let Dean get away with slapping a bandaged over it and resolving to take it easy until Dean’s side was healed and Sam was less battered.

That was why he and Dean were with Cas in the bunker. Until they were both a bit better, they’d look through all the research and archives the Men of Letters had, even through all the unorganized, cluttered…

Sam frowned, his eyes still closed. Hadn’t they already started looking through the bunker? What was he doing back in bed…he should be helping find something that could locate Kelly Kline.

Sam opened his eyes and pushed himself up, and realized that something was _really_ wrong!

This wasn’t his bed. A baby pink blanket was wrapped around his shoulders, and he pushed it off impatiently, only to notice the mittens covering his hands. More confused than ever, the sound of someone standing up from a chair startled Sam, and he looked up. His face went pale.

Standing above him was a _giant_. It’s skin was silver, and while it’s face looked sort of human, there was no mistaking that whatever it was wasn’t human. The creature was reaching towards him with long arms, and Sam scrambled back, away from the six fingered (yes, six!) hands reaching towards him, but soon his back hit wooden bars, and Sam threw up his arms to cover his face.

There was a deep, soft noise, and then Sam was being slowly lifted up. Sam tried to grab the bars, but his hands were useless in the mittens, and then Sam was being cradled in a pair of long arms, longer than his whole body.

Sam tensed up as still as a rod as he was carried, and then the creature was sitting down, still holding Sam in it’s arms. The creature’s long fingers started brushing a his hair, and it was making strange and soft sounds it it’s deep voice.

Sam’s heart was beating a mile a minute. He had no idea what was going on! Was this creature going to eat him? Where was Dean? How did he even end up here!

Suddenly, Sam remembered the book they’d found on dimensional travel, and how he and Dean had accidently activated it. He must be in an alternate dimension!

Sam only had a moment to process this information before the creature started rocking, swaying Sam in it’s arms as it continued to make those strange noises.

It finally occurred to Sam what was happening. This creature wasn’t trying to hurt him, it was trying to sooth him, calm him down! At this realization, Sam could feel some of his fear leaving him. But his mind was still racing with a million questions as the alien thing continued to coo at him, it’s fingers starting to tickle him a bit the more he calmed down.

Sam didn’t know what the creature wanted from him, so he just tried to let his body relax as he studied the creature with wary eyes. Then he started to look at his surroundings. Everything in the room was huge, monumentally so. There were tables and counters Sam couldn’t’ see on top of, a white carpet covering the floor, and two box-like structures, one of which Sam had just been pulled out of. The sides were made of bars with a small amount of space between them, and by squinting his eyes a little, Sam thought he could just make out the top of Dean’s head and the soft sounds of snoring. So Dean was here too… just out like a light!

Sam continued to stare at the two odd box-beds, when suddenly it hit him. Those were _cribs!_ Like _baby cribs_! What the hell!

Everything was starting to click in to place. The mittens on his hands, the cribs, and even his underwear felt suspiciously thick! Dread filled Sam, right down to his bones. He looked back up at the creature holding him only to have it push something into his mouth.

Stunned, Sam doesn’t initially react, going a bit cross-eyed trying to look at the thing being held into his mouth. He bit down slightly on accident, and the thing filling his mouth gave, and sweet-warm liquid flowed his mouth, causing Sam to sputter a bit before swallowing.

Sam jerked his head away, and spat out the rubber. It was a baby bottle for christs sake!

The creature cooed again, shifting Sam so he was sitting up a bit more in the monster’s arms, and it tried guiding the round nipple of the bottle into Sam’s mouth again. Feeling embarrassment swamp him, Sam twisted away as much as he could, putting up his hands to try and push the bottle away. But the creature was persistent, and after who knows how long, Sam gave up.

The creature managed to get the teat back into Sam’s mouth, and Sam huffed around it, feeling his face turn red as he reluctantly gave the bottle a suck. It started cooing happily at Sam as he started to drink down the mixture. Sam had no idea what he was drinking, but it was sweet, and it tasted a bit like fruit and honey. _‘Just pretend it’s a smoothie…’_ Sam thought to himself, screwing his eyes shut when he couldn’t take the feeling of the creature staring at him any longer.

Before Sam knew it, the creature pulled the bottle from Sam’s mouth with an audible pop. Then Sam was being lifted up, and placed against the monsters shoulder. Then it started patting.

It’s giant hand was cupping his bottom while the other patted what felt like his entire back. It was gentle enough not to jostle him too harshly, which Sam was thankful for, because his head was _pounding_ , but soon Sam could feel a burp building. And despite his best efforts to stop it, Sam was burped over the creature’s shoulder, feeling more embarrassed than ever.

The monster pulled Sam away and sat him down on it’s lap, and Sam noticed with distain that it seemed very pleased with itself.

Sam’s mind was spinning, colored red with his embarrassment. Without meaning to, Sam’s mouth stretched wide into a yawn, which made the silver being coo at him yet again. The creature stood and carried Sam back over to the cribs, and Sam was laid back down on his unbruised side. Sam tried to get up, but the creature laid a gentle hand on him keeping him down. The other hand landed on his bottom, and patted gently a couple times, making Sam feel mortified. Yep. There was definitely some extra padding there!

Then the pink blanket was being put back around him, tucked under him by long silver fingers, and Sam could feel himself falling back asleep.

He tried desperately to fight it, but he just felt so exhausted, and his head really hurt. He was in an alternate dimension being treated like a baby, and he could hardly do anything more than a real baby!

_‘Cas! If you can hear me, send help quick!’_ Sam prayed quickly even as he felt himself falling into a deep sleep. _‘Dean and I are in way over our heads…’_


	4. Dean's Dizzy

Dean woke up feeling swamped. The last thing he could remember was Sam reading the incantation aloud, before he’d been jerked away. And damn, interdimensional travel really knocked it out of you!

Dean tried to lift his head, but immediately regretted it when he was hit with a wave of dizziness, and he immediately put his head back down on the soft, fuzzy thing beneath his cheek, closing his eyes tight. Dean laid still for a moment, allowing his head to clear. But when he tried to bring his hands up to rub at he sore temples, he realized that he was tightly bound.

Dean forced himself to open his eyes and keep them open, despite his raging headache. It was hard to see, he was lying on something silver and furry, seemingly bound to it, and the thick fuzz was obstructing much of his vision. Slowly Dean wiggled his arms, trying to keep a cool head as he worked his arms free from the bindings. Finally, his arms were free, though most of his body and legs were still tied tightly to whatever he was laying on. He pushed himself up clumsily on the stuffed monstrosity with difficulty, and he could feel the thick bandages circling his navel. What the hell?

Dean twisted as much as he could to look at his side, and saw that he was dressed in a white onesie, made of very thick material, that reached his wrists and ankles. Dean reached down to the knife wound in his side, trying to feel the bandage. But he was uncoordinated in his daze, and pressed too hard by accident, and he let out a harsh hish at the stinging pain.

A shadow washed over him, and Dean yelped in surprise as something lifted him up high into the air, still clinging onto the stuffed whatever-it-was he’d been asleep on. The movement was so fast, that Dean nearly got sick. He had to screw his eyes shut again as he held on for dear life, even as he felt giant hands rubbing up and down his back, and one supported his bottom.

Then the motions stopped, and Dean felt himself be laid out on his back. The slight pressure from the bindings around his lower body released, and the fuzzy thing he’d been holding onto was pulled from his grip.

Dean stared up in horror as he caught his first glimpse at the thing with giant hands. It looked like a big, silver person, with full lips and big intense eyes. It was standing over him, holding the fuzzy thing Dean had been tied to, and Dean realized that it was a stuffed-toy version of the alien creature standing above him. Dean’s instincts kicked into high gear, and he started to scramble up, crying out in pain when his hasty motion aggravated his knife wound. But Dean didn’t let the pain stop him. He flipped himself over onto his knees, and started struggling across the table, practically crawling away from whatever new monster this was. But he didn’t get far until he felt the creature grab the material of the garment he was wearing, just above his butt. The creature pulled, and Dean was easily tugged back into it’s grip. The creature flipped him slowly over onto his back again, and this time, it kept one hand on him while the other began securing a strap across his chest and arms.

Dean’s heart was pumping, and his head hurt more than ever after his brief attempted dash to freedom. The world was so hazy already, but Dean struggled to keep consciousness as the creature fumbled with something on his pants leg.

Slowly, Dean started to feel cool air on the skin of his legs, and Dean realized that the creature was unsnapping the bottoms of the onesie. Confused and panicked, Dean tried struggling, but all his efforts did was earn him a strange, sort of melodic sound from the creature as it continued to take off the bottom parts of his clothes.

Once the material from his legs was gone, Dean felt the creature’s hands messing with some type of fabric around his waist. With monumental effort, Dean lifted up his head just as the creature unfastened the material, and saw with a deep sinking feeling as the creature pulled back what was unmistakably a _diaper_.

A _used_ _diaper._

Dean’s head thudded back against the table, which was surprisingly well padded, and he moaned in fear and embarrassment as he was made naked infront of the strange creature. Dean tried to struggle more, but he was tired and feeling more and more sick the longer he was awake. He could do nothing as the creature manhandled his legs, lifting them by his ankles as it washed his skin with a warm wet cloth, and then patted the skin dry. He was lifted up a bit, and Dean felt a new diaper being placed underneath him, and the creature closed it up tightly.

Dean was mortified by the whole experience. But the creature wasn’t done, it seemed. It began pushing up the material of Dean’s garment even more, exposing his belly. Dean felt long, huge fingers trail around the knife wound in his side, just barely scraping the edges of the bandages. The creature made a cooing sound that sounded almost… sad? But Dean didn’t think about too long as it leaned down over him, bringing his face close to Dean’s.

Dean tensed up, fear almost choking him, but he was absolutely astonished when the creature leaned over Dean’s exposed stomach, and pressed its very full lips against the skin just next to his wound. The creature’s mouth was so big, it had touched nearly his whole stomach. Dean couldn’t believe it. Had this monster just kissed him?

The creature straightened, and started pulling down the onesie, redoing the snaps on the legs, and undoing the strap that was keeping Dean pinned down. It’s arms scooped under Dean, cradling his bottom, back, and even his neck, which was probably a good thing, because at this point, Dean didn’t know if he had enough strength to keep his head up himself.

But by this point, Dean was feeling so much sicker than he had when he’d first woken up, and the motion of being lifted up so high caused his dizziness to return full force. Dean couldn’t stop himself from vomiting all over himself.

The creature made a startled, panicked sound, and it gripped him ever so slightly tighter as started wiping away the sick from Dean’s mouth. It laid Dean back down and started washing his face, making sad cooing noises as it removed the soiled clothing and redressed him in a new one. But Dean felt so awful, all he wanted to do was fall asleep. His whole body ached too much, and he could feel his consciousness slipping away, almost like he was passing out slowly.

Before he knew it, he was back in the creature’s arms, being carried again. He felt himself be laid carefully on his side, back on the fuzzy monster. A blanket was being wrapped around him, and Dean recognized that he was being swaddled, carefully balanced so there was no pressure on his injury. But Dean could hardly think he felt so exhausted, and the final thing he felt was gentle stroking along his neck and back.


	5. Names for the Babies

(A/N): Don't judge me too harshly on the picture, because I can't draw very well, but I wanted to give you a size comparison for the Sevit and Sam and Dean.

                                                                                   

The humans were afraid, that much was apparent. It saddened Noxu when the baby had woken, how desperately he’d tried to escape zim. Noxu would have fed the poor creature, but after he got ill, Noxu wasn’t sure if zee should try and force him to eat anything, and decided to wait for Keelo’s return before making that decision.

Keelo had been there when the little girl had woken up. She’d been terrified at first, according to Keelo, but she’d been easily soothed after a few moments, and Keelo had managed to get her to take a bottle before she fell back asleep, likely exhausted from traveling though dimensions.

Keelo had started calling the female Sahi, which was the sevit word for “beautiful little girl,” because when she’d been awake and alert, she was lovely and poised on Keelo’s knee. Even in her sleep, Noxu could agree that Sahi was an adorable child, so the name was very fitting for her.

Noxu had proposed to name the male Deera, which meant precious one in the sevitis language, because the youngling looked so innocent and precious curled up asleep on his doll, and when he was awake, his eyes and face made you want to just hold him close and safe in your arms.

So for a few days, Keelo and Noxu took turns taking care of the newly named Sahi and Deera as they drifted in and out of consciousness.

Noxu had had the unpleasant task of changing Sahi’s first diaper when she was awake, and the youngling was very upset with the whole process. She’s struggled and kicked, more frantically than Deera had, and when Noxu finally got Sahi secured to the table so that zee could change her without fear of her falling off the table, Sahi’s eyes had begun watering.

While it was fascinating to see that humans cried in the same way that sevitis did, it broke Noxu’s heart to see the poor youngling so distressed. But Noxu couldn’t leave her in a dirty diaper, so zee changed Sahi as quickly as zee could, and spend the next good while holding her and rocking her, trying to sooth her. At first, Sahi didn’t seem to want Noxu’s care, but eventually the youngling calmed down and fell asleep on zis shoulder.

It was clear to Noxu that whatever care Sahi and Deera had received in the human world had caused this deep mistrust of caregivers. Noxu and Keelo talked about it in excess, but they could only wonder what kind of abuse the younglings had suffered to make them so uncomfortable with comfort. They knew, from the sevitis records of humans, that humans were social creatures, and that their young depended on contact, interaction, and comfort to develop and survive. In fact, the data suggested that a human youngling who did _not_ receive physical love and care would surely die. It was a risk that neither Keelo nor Noxu were willing to take. So despite the protests of Deera and Sahi when they were awake, Keelo and Noxu spend long hours every day holding them and petting them, even sometimes as they slept.

Something Keelo had first noticed, was how both Sahi and Deera focused on their surroundings. It was certainly a symptom of their caution, born from the abuse they’d likely suffered. But more than that, when Sahi was awake, she’d often scan the room until her eyes found Deera. Sahi would relax marginally after seeing Deera, and though she would be slightly more amenable to a change or a feeding, her focus would remain largely on the other youngling. The same was true for Deera when he was awake.

Keelo and Noxu wondered if part of the reason the humans were not settling at all was because of their separation. Humans were in fact social, and since they were abandoned together, it was likely that the humans were at least familiar with each other. So Keelo began designing a small area where the humans could interact together when they were both awake. They had to be careful with the design, Deera still had wounds that were healing, and based on his actions when he was awake, the youngling would most certainly do something that would aggravate his wounds if given free reign.

So Keelo had a seat made that would keep Deera from worsening his wounds while still allowing Sahi to sit with him in the play area. Noxu got stuffed toys and typical sevitis youngling toys to fill some of the space. They were both interested to see what Sahi and Deera would gravitate towards, so they could hopefully provide the little ones with more entertainment, once they were able to stay awake a bit longer.

Then it was just a matter of getting Sahi and Deera awake at the same time. Keelo had been reluctant to wake them when they were resting, but after a full week after the humans had come into their care, Keelo decided that the humans needed to interact with each other, especially since they were starting to stay awake for longer periods of time. So the next time that Deera woke, Keelo set about changing the youngling’s diaper while Noxu scooped up Sahi from her crib. Deera was his usual squirming self as Keelo wiped his pink bottom, but as Keelo closed the clean diaper, Deera suddenly became more alert as he caught sight of Sahi, who was being roused in Noxu’s arms.

Deera made a noise, louder than any he had thusfar, and he struggled to sit up. But Keelo hastily placed his hand on the youngling’s chest, trying to finish closing his garment between his legs. “Be still, Deera. I’m bringing you to Sahi soon, I promise!” Keelo cooed at the restless baby. His words didn’t seem to help as Deera continued to squirm as Keelo picked him up and carried him to the newly erected play area. Deera was so focused on the slowly waking Sahi, who was starting to rub her eyes in Noxu’s arms as she made a few soft noises, that he didn’t seem to notice as Keelo sat him into a slightly modified seat for sevit babies, bulked into the harness that would keep Deera slightly reclined and pressure off of his healing wound. But as Keelo stepped away, Deera seemed to realize that he was stuck, and he struggled for a moment with the harness before looking up at Keelo with a truly affronted look, that made Keelo chuckle.

Noxu gently sat down Sahi on the soft mat inside the contained play area, leaving her shoulders covered by her pink blanket, and looking disoriented. But Deera made that loud sound again as he struggled against his harness, and Sahi looked up to see Deera.

Sahi’s face instantly lit up, now fully awake, and she stumbled up from her blankets. Sahi’s legs were a bit shaky as she tried to step forwards, and she only took one step before she fell to her hands and knees.

Both Noxu and Keelo gasped a little, stepping forwards and prepared to pick up Sahi if she started crying. Sevit younglings were known to cry even a little tumbles when they were learning to walk. But to their amazement, Sahi hardly paused, and pushed herself right back up before carefully stumbling over to Deera.

Sahi threw her arms around Deera with a cry as Deera clung onto his fellow human. Keelo and Noxu felt their hearts melt at the sight, thrilled that Sahi and Deera were so happy at finally being reunited.


	6. Together Again

Dean had been living in absolute humiliation.

It was hard to stay awake for long, but when he was awake, everything was a confusing, and mortifying jumble. He was constantly swaddled, either to the giant stuffed toy or simply in tight blankets. He’d been put back into, and made to use diapers, which were then changed while he was restrained on a changing table of all things. And he was constantly being held or carried, even as he was being forcibly fed mush through a baby bottle.

He hated the way the creatures cooed at him every time he woke. It made the experience even more disorienting. He had no idea how long he’d been in the alternate dimension. He was so out of it feeling sick and weak, that he had no concept of time whatsoever.

If he could just get some sort of explanation, why he was being constantly swaddled or carried, why these creatures were treating him like a baby, where the hell _Cas_ was, it would make things a whole lot more bearable!

Dean had been praying to Cas whenever he was awake. He had no clue if the angel could hear him or not, but he remembered what Cas said about dimensional travel. Since Cas’ wings were still broken, it would take time for Cas to be able to come after them. And Dean knew he would, Cas wouldn’t just leave them in a crazy alternate dimension! Dean just hoped that whatever Cas needed, he could get it quick! Because if he had to keep getting diaper changes for much longer, Dean was going to blow a gasket!

Speaking of diaper changes…

Dean had hardly been awake for a minute before he felt himself being lifted up by familiar giant hands, and he was quickly placed on his back on the changing table, strap secured across his arms and chest. Dean groaned in protest as the creature started removing his clothes and opening his diaper. Dean struggled, like he always did during his diaper changes. But with his upper body tethered, and the creature’s hand holding his ankles, Dean could put up much of a fight as his bottom was wiped clean of his mess. Truthfully, Dean was only struggling at this point out of principal. He knew by now how this went. The creature wasn’t going to hurt him at all, but there was also nothing that Dean could do to get away from it. So Dean drowsily kicked his legs, trying at least to make the creature understand how much he _hated_ this, when movement of a second creature caught his eye.

The other creature, and Dean recognized it as one of the two creatures that were caring for him, was reaching down into the crib where Sam was sleeping and picking him up.

“SAM!” Instantly Dean tried to sit up, forgetting all about the strap keeping him down.

The creature above him put its hand on his chest, cooing at him with a bunch of syllables and sounds that Dean couldn’t distinguish from one another. But Dean didn’t pay it any mind. The creature finished changing his diaper and redressing him, all while Dean kept his eyes on Sammy, who was slowly rousing from his own sleep.

In some ways, it relaxed Dean to see that Sammy was okay. Ever since first waking up here, Dean hadn’t seen Sam awake, so he hadn’t even been sure if Sam had awoken at all.

The creature picked him up, and Dean twisted around in its arms as much as he could to try and see what the other one was doing with Sammy.

Dean was so focused on Sam, that he didn’t notice that he’d been set down and buckled into a five-point harness until the creature that had been holding him stepped away.

Dean looked down at the contraption he was trapped in, a bit shocked. The harness kept his back flush with the back of the seat, and a plastic divider kept his legs sticking out, a bit far apart from each other. Dean tried removing the harness, but with mittens covering his fingers, and no clear way about how to make the harness release, Dean was well and truly stuck.

Dean looked up at the creature and gave his best glare. But instead of being intimidated, the creature made a low chuffing noise. That fucker was laughing at him!

But Dean forgot about his anger as the other creature approached the closed in area (aw crap, it was a _playpen_ for christ’s sake!), and deposited Sam down on the floor in a pile of pink blankets.

“Sam!” Dean called to his brother, struggling uselessly against the harness again.

Sam looked around, dazed and confused until he finally caught sight of Dean, and instantly Sam was more awake. Sam began trying to stand, but he was so tangled in the blankets that he stumbled, and his legs felt a little weak, so he fell to his hands and knees on the padded floor.

It didn’t hurt at all, it was mostly just frustrating to Sam. He must have been lying or sitting for so long that his legs were weak! Sam pushed himself back up, and tried to move carefully, but quickly towards Dean.

Finally Sam was in arms-reach of Dean, when his legs gave out again and he fell forwards. Sam caught himself by grabbing onto Dean, and Dean grabbed Sam from under his arms to try and help keep his brother upright.

“Sammy! You okay?” Dean asked.

“Yeah…yeah I think so,” Sam mumbled a bit, trying to steady himself and stand upright. “Dean, I don’t know if you’ve been awake at all since we got here, but these things think we’re – ”

“Babies! I know!” Dean scowled fiercely, yanking on the harness with one hand again. “Every time I’m awake, they either keep me strapped to something or they’re holding me! They put a bottle in my mouth until I drink!”

“They’ve been doing that to me too. But… I guess it could be worse…”

“How could it be _worse_?” Dean asked incredulously. “They’ve got us in _diapers_ , Sam!”

Sam winced in sympathy. “I know…its humiliating. But at least they seem set on caring for us. They could want to eat us!”

Dean grumbled, but agreed. “Still, this sucks. Hey, you haven’t got mitts on your hands! How is that fair? Get me out of this stupid chair will ya?”

Sam was feeling more stable now, only using one hand on Dean’s seat to keep balanced. He nodded, and started fiddling with the harness on Dean’s chest, when all of a sudden he was being pulled away by giant hands.

“Kso kso, Sahi!” one of the creatures said, holding up Sam from underneath his arms. It had startled Sam so badly that he felt is bladder let lose into his diaper, making his cheeks color red.

But the creature didn’t seem to notice that Sam’s diaper was now wet, because it sat him back down in the playpen, setting him down on his bottom, which squished beneath him.

“Okay, so they don’t want me to let you out…” Sam said, trying his hardest to force the blush from his face.

“What! This is bullshit!” Dean cursed, arching his back, as if he could break out of the chair that way. “Why the hell are you allowed to move around, and I’m suck in this stupid baby chair?!”

Sam started to stand back up, but his diaper was heavy and hot between his legs. He was afraid that if he stood up, it would sag, and then Dean would be able to see that he’d used it. So instead Sam sat back, forcing himself not to wince when his bottom squished again. “I don’t get it either…oh!” Sam said in realization. “Maybe its because of your knife wound? How is that feeling, by the way? The bandages probably need to be changed by now.”

Dean crossed his arms, making him look like a pouting child. “It feels fine. They’ve cleaned it and changed the bandages a couple times that I’ve been awake. They’re going way overboard with it though! They have gauze wrapped around my entire stomach!”

“That’s probably why they’re keeping you still, they’re trying to get your wound healed.” Sam scooted over a bit so he could lean against the bottom of Dean’s chair, starting to feel drowsy again, but he was determined to stay awake. Sam glanced around the playpen they were in, looking at all the strange, slightly familiar looking stuffed animals, blankets and blocks. Something beyond the mesh walls of the playpen caught Sam’s eyes, and he saw the two creatures looking back at him.

They were both seated together, staring straight at Sam and Dean, their mouths moving as if they were speaking to each other softly.

“They’re watching us,” Sam said, feeling uncomfortable.

“I just want to get out of here…” Dean said, and his voice was starting to sound as sleepy as Sam felt. “Thing 1 and Thing 2 are driving me nuts!” Dean squirmed in his seat, and his face screwed up for a moment.

“What’s wrong, are you okay?” Sam asked concernedly.

“I’m fine…I just…” Dean’s ears had gone a bit pink. “I gotta piss…”

Sam grimaced. There was no way the creatures were going to let them out. Sam wondered if he should tell Dean that he’d already wet himself sitting here…it might make him feel less embarrassed. But they sat there for what felt like a long while, Sam sitting still, trying to ignore how his diaper was starting to go cold, and Dean squirming every so often as Sam tried to pretend like he didn’t notice Dean holding himself, trying to stop himself from going. Sam could see how flustered Dean was getting, and part of him wanted to tell Dean to make him feel better. But Sam couldn’t make his voice work, and then it was too late.

Dean slumped in the chair, pointedly looking away from Sam, and Sam could hear the sound of Dean using his diaper.

Sam didn’t say anything, but when he looked up, he saw a few tiny traces of tears in Dean’s eyes.

“I already used mine too…” Sam blurted out, blushing all over againg.

“This sucks Sammy…” Dean said with a moan, rubbing his mittens over his eyes as he moved uncomfortably in his chair.

There were shadows overhead, and Sam looked up to see the creatures standing above the playpen, reaching down to pick them both up. Sam clung onto the sleeve of the creature that picked him up out of reflex, part of him still feeling terrified of being dropped, even as his bottom rested on the creature’s other arm.

A hand patted his bottom, and Sam saw the other creature doing the same to Dean. Soon he and Dean were both being laid out next to each other on the changing table and secured there. Sam and Dean tried not to look at each other while their diapers were changed, and they were dressed in different clothes. Then the creatures took them to the large poufy seats in the room, before they picked up bottles and held them to their mouths.

Sam was propped in the creature’s arms so that he was facing Dean, and with a shared defeated look, they both started drinking from their respective baby bottles. Sam finished his first, and was burped over the creature’s shoulder. Dean didn’t finish his, but spat out the teat while Sam was getting burped, and refused to take it back into his mouth, jerking away from the nipple when the creature tried to put it back in his mouth.

“Prican corryor, Deera?” the creature said in it’s deep voice, but still Dean refused the nipple. “Deera…” the creature cooed this time, it’s voice sounding melodic. But finally, Dean’s stubbornness won out, and the creature but the half empty bottle down.

Sam and Dean were carried over to their cribs, and laid down. The creature holding Sam wrapped him up in the pink blankets, swaddling Sam tightly. It brushed a finger gently over his head in what was clearly an affectionate gesture. “Imparate, lition Sahi.”

The lights in the room dimed, and both creatures stepped out of sight, leaving Sam to wonder what the creature had said to him. It sounded kind of familiar… _‘Sahi’._ They’d said that word before hadn’t they? Earlier in the playpen?

That’s when it clicked for Sam. He needed to learn whatever language these creatures spoke! All of this, the baby treatment, and possibly being stuck here, could all be fixed if Sam could just communicate with them!

“Sam…how long do you think we’ll be here?” Dean’s voice sounded quietly through the dark.

“I don’t know,” Sam said honestly. “Cas may rescue us tomorrow, or maybe longer…but we don’t have any way to tell.”

“I can’t take this baby stuff, we have to get home,” Dean said miserably.

“We’ll get home, Cas won’t give up on us,” Sam said confidently. “And in the meantime, I’m going to learn their language, and maybe we can explain to them that this is a misunderstanding. They may even be able to help us get back home.”

“You’re going to learn a whole knew language?” Dean said, the doubt obvious in his voice. “That’ll take you forever…who knows if we’ll even be here that long!”

“I have to do _something_ …” Sam said, almost to himself.

“Well…good luck…” Dean said, and his voice was genuine. But it was followed by a large yawn, and Sam could hear his brother fall asleep.

Sam felt himself following close behind, but he was determined that tomorrow, or whenever he woke again, he would begin learning how to speak with the strange creatures that were holding them captive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick guide to the Sevitis words used.
> 
> kso - no
> 
> Prican corryor - what's wrong
> 
> Imparate, lition - goodnight, sweet


	7. What to Feed

Keelo wanted to get the human younglings on a steady schedule. After seeing them so happy seeing each other, Keelo decided that they would wake them at the same time from now on, and give Sahi and Deera time together everyday. They were also starting to stay awake for longer periods of time, which told Keelo that they were recovering from their ordeal.

Still, it had saddened Keelo that Sahi hadn’t seemed interested in any of the toys. He would have to keep trying different things until he found something that stimulated Sahi, and kept her interest. As for Deera, while his wound was healing up beautifully, he still could be allowed too much mobility, in case he made his wound worse. So he couldn’t really play with toys unless they were easily accessible…Keelo was already working on acquiring a baby bouncer from a nearby sevitis daycare. A bouncer with the bouncing feature disabled would keep Deera sitting securely, while providing a tray full of toys and baubles that Deera could use to play.

But with that problem solved, Keelo had another. He was worried that Deera wasn’t eating enough.

The last few bottles he’d tried to feed him, Deera hadn’t finished. Keelo had put in a lot of effort weighing the younglings, determining their daily nutritional needs, and planning a feeding schedule that would provide Sahi and Deera enough nutrients to make them healthy. And because Deera was refusing some of his bottle every time he fed, he wasn’t getting what he needed.

“I don’t know what to do,” Keelo told Noxu anxiously. “Deera is underweight as it is, and while his body is healing, its more important than ever to make sure he eats properly.”

“But at the same time, if you try and force him to eat, you may just end up making him sick,” Noxu said seriously.

“I know, that’s part of the problem,” Keelo said with frustration. “That’s why I don’t keep insisting when he’s decided he’s done. But I’m afraid that in another few weeks, he’ll start to lose weight. And human child this young should be gaining weight. He can’t afford to lose what little weight he has.”

Noxu pondered that for a moment, and then opened the files zee had sitting before zim, shuffling through the papers for a moment. Noxu found the paper he was looking for, and slid it so Keelo could see.

“We’ve been feeding them both what we might a sevitis toddler. The fruit blend is good for growing children, but when a baby sevit is born, it nurses from it’s mother figure for a time. Doctors often recommend mothers to start nursing their younglings again when they get sick, or if they’re underweight.”

Keelo looked at the file considering, it was all of Noxu’s notes comparing the human developmental stages to the sevitis developmental stages. “You think we should find a sevit mother to nurse Deera?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of finding a few nursing mothers to donate their milk,” Noxu said. “The milk is thicker with nutrients and fats, so even if Deera keeps drinking less than Sahi, he’ll be getting more nutrients. Also sevitis milk contains antibodies that would strengthen Deera’s immune system.”

Keelo looked excited. “Perhaps we should even allow Sahi to feed from milk a few times? We have no idea if her immune system is strong or weak, and it would be better to be safe rather than sorry. Do you think you can find nursing mothers willing to help?”

Noxu nodded with a smile. “My cousin is nursing a youngling, and zee would be more than willing to help. Especially if zee might get a chance to see the little humans. I also know of a sevit working in a different lab, she would likely help if we asked. We can also ask around to look for more possible donors. Most nursing mothers produce excess milk, and it gets thrown away. We could collect the excess from a few mothers, and continue bottle feeding Deera as we have.””

Keelo nodded, feeling much more at ease knowing that Deera would be properly fed. He glanced over to the cribs in the corner, gazing for a moment on Sahi and Deera, who were both in a deep sleep. “I’ll go and see if we have any Sevitis milk on hand. We can start feeding Deera milk at their next feeding time.”


	8. Bathtime and Pacifiers

The next time he was awake, Sam’s diaper was changed, and he was given a bottle, before being put back in the playpen, like the last time. Dean was already strapped in the baby chair again, looking grumpy.

“Did they feed you?”

Sam nodded at Dean’s question. “Why?”

“Normally its some fruity smoothie crap,” Dean said. “But whatever they fed me this time was different. Was it for you?”

“No,” Sam said, shaking his head. “My bottle was the same fruit thing. What was in yours?”

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know…it tasted like chocolate milk or something.”

Sam was going to ask more questions, curious why Dean was suddenly being fed something different after them both getting the same thing since they’d gotten here. But movement outside the playpen made Sam pause. Both of the creatures were moving around, Sam saw what looked like towels being unfolded, and then the sound of running water. Sam’s heart sunk.

“I think we’re in for a bath today…” Sam said, and Dean groaned loudly.

“I’m getting real tired of these things putting their hands all over my junk!”

Sam agreed with him whole-heartedly, but he really didn’t want to think about it anymore. Instead, Sam started to look around at the toys and things surrounding them both in the playpen.

Sam noticed that it was different things than there were last time. Sam looked curiously at some of the toys. They were obviously designed for refining motor skills in young babies. _Pass_. But there were a few books that caught Sam’s attention.

Feeling a little more stable today, Sam was able to get to his feet and move over to pick up a few of the books. Opening them up, all Sam saw was a series of squiggles and lines that meant absolutely nothing to him. He might as well have been looking at ancient hieroglyphs. Sam felt bitterly disappointed. He was hoping he might be able to figure out words of the creature’s language by sounding out words, but they didn’t seem to have a common alphabet with English, which Sam realized would have been an extraordinary stroke of luck.

Still, Sam didn’t put the books all the way back. Instead, he flipped through them, looking at the pictures with intense interest. Obviously, these books were meant for babies, but they were the first clues Sam had for learning about this strange dimension.

The first book Sam had picked up seemed to depict the family life of the creatures. A small creature, obviously a child, smiled on the first page, waving it’s six fingered hand. Curiously, Sam flipped through the book. It showed the child playing in what looked like vividly blue grass, a creature that looked a bit like a bird and a cat rolling next to it all around. Another picture showed the child with other children, sitting on the ground in what might have been a school sort of setting. It was oddly comforting to Sam to see that there were recognizable things in this dimension. Still another picture showed the child with two adults. A Family.

It made Sam smile a bit. He’d never read books like this a child. Dean had read to him whenever he wanted, but it’d always been from comic books and more action filled stories. Sam thinks he preferred having the comic books to these kind of books.

Sam took a stack of books back to Dean, who seemed to be struggling to figure out the harness again, without any luck. “Dude, you might as well just give it up. I doubt they’re going to let you out until your knife wound is healed,” Sam said, setting a couple of the books down on Dean’s lap.

“I’m not a table,” Dean grumped, but he looked curiously at the books. “Kid’s books? Really Sammy?”

Sam just shrugged. “Its all we’ve got to work with right now. Come on, just help me flick through these for a second, and maybe we can learn a little bit about these things.”

Dean just rolled his eyes, and pushed the books off his lap. Sam bent down to hand them back to Dean, when he was picked up from behind, and forced to drop the books in his hands.

Sam looked up to the creature holding him close to it’s chest as it took him over to a new corner of the room. It cooed at Sam when it noticed him looking, and gently ran its fingers up and down his back. Sam looked over to where they were heading and saw a large circular bubble bath waiting for him.

The creature laid Sam down on a changing table next to the bath, and began removing his clothes. It didn’t strap Sam down this time, for which Sam was thankful. So he resisted the urge to wriggle out of the creature’s grasp, knowing he wouldn’t get far anyway, and wanting to keep this small bit of freedom.

Soon, Sam was naked except for his diaper, which was mercifully dry, and as the creature started removing that too, Sam looked away in embarrassment, to see the other creature taking a clearly struggling Dean somewhere else in the room.

Sam was lifted up from under his arms, so he couldn’t see Dean anymore, and he was completely naked. Sam tried and failed not to blush as the creature moved him over the water, feeling very exposed, and gently sat him down in the middle of the water.

The bath was warm, the water reaching up above his waist while he was siting down, and the bubbles piling high enough to reach his chest. Sam was kind of amazed, he hadn’t been able to fit in a bathtub in the longest time, and having so much room all around him made him feel very small. At least with all the bubbles, he felt a little less exposed.

The creature was rolling back it’s sleeves, and it said something in it’s low voice, a jumble of syllabus that Sam couldn’t make out. But he did recognize one thing, _Sahi_. That word again! Sam was reminded of his determination to learn how to speak the creature’s langue. But to do so, he’d need the creatures to speak a little slower…he couldn’t make out words that quickly!

Sam was distracted again when he felt a washcloth on his back. The creature was rubbing in gentle little circles, lifting up one of his arms to start rubbing down that way, going everywhere even under his arms. The creature washed his whole body, moving in steady, gentle circles as it washed his chest, his bottom (which made Sam’s blush a whole lot worse), down his legs, and even his fingers and toes. Sam had been rubbed all over, even on his face. But now the creature was using its hand to cup over Sam’s eyes, and Sam felt the warm water drizzling over his hair.

Trying to make the best of the situation, Sam was at least glad his hair was getting a good wash. It had been starting to feel gross to the touch.

Finally, the creature seemed satisfied that Sam was clean. It stood him up in the bathtub, keeping him upright with one giant hand around his waist, as it took a cup and poured water over him, rinsing all the soap suds off his body. Then he was lifted up, still naked and dripping wet, back onto the changing table, where he was laid back down on an incredibly soft, fluffy white towel.

The creature took it’s time patting Sam dry, cooing at him all the while. Once he was dry, except for his hair, Sam legs were lifted up, and he was laid back down on a soft diaper. His bottom was powered, and the diaper was tightly closed and adjusted. Then the creature sat Sam up so he was sitting cross legged, and using a hand held devise, it started to blow dry his hair. Sam’s hair had always dried quickly, so it didn’t take long for the creature to be finished, leaving his hair a little poofy.

Sam brushed his fingers through his hair impatiently, trying to smooth it down a bit, as the creature got something to dress him in.

Sam caught sight of the onesie, and his eyebrows shot through the roof. It was…really _pink_.

Not just light pink, like the blanket Sam was put to sleep with. It was dark pink, with light pink and silver stripes crisscrossing the front and back of the onesie. Also, where the previous garments he’d been dress in covered his arms and legs, this one was short. It would only snap together between his legs, leaving his thighs bare. But what really caught Sam’s attention was the silvery, sparkly piece of fabric that circled around the waist. Like a short little skirt!

Sam could do nothing as the creature dressed him in the pink monstrosity, and Sam flushed pink to match his outfit when he was allowed to sit up and look at himself.

He had nothing against pink, really he didn’t, but it was just _not_ his preferred color!

Sam barely had the chance to inspect his horrid outfit before the creature was lifting him up again holding him securely in its arms. “Prican lition, Sahi,” the creature said, and it pressed a kiss to the top of Sam’s head.

Sam’s heart leapt, he recognized those words! He was feeling utterly embarrassed, but he opened his mouth, so he could try and repeat the creature’s words, show it that he was capable of communication, when the creature popped something into his mouth.

It surprised Sam so bad, that instead of spitting it out, he merely clamped down on it, jerking back in surprise. Involuntarily, he gave the thing a suck. He felt the push of plastic against his lips, the now unfortunately familiar sensation of a nipple in his mouth. Aw crap, it was a pacifier!

Sam was so mortified that he couldn’t even spit the thing out, and all thoughts of trying to communicate where gone from his head as he sat in the creature’s arms, clinging to it’s shirt, wearing a thick diaper, humiliating onesie, and now a pacifier in his mouth, like a real baby!”

Meanwhile, Dean was also getting bathed. And his experience wasn’t any more pleasant than Sam’s.

The creature that had him, Dean was calling him Thing 2, Sam was currently being manhandled by Thing 1, had quickly wrestled him down to a changing table and strapped him down. Okay…so maybe “wrestled” is too strong of a word. Really, Dean couldn’t put up much of a fight against the strength of Thing 2, so he failed about a bit, trying to keep himself from being strapped down, but it only took a matter of seconds before Dean was strapped down to the changing table, and Thing 2 was starting to remove his onesie.

Dean continued to squirm on the table as his diaper was revealed, embarrassed and flustered because he knew that his diaper was messy. He hadn’t been able to help it, what with the mushy crap he’d been forced to eat, he’d been finding it harder and harder to hold it, and not long after Thing 1 had woken him, fed him, and placed him in the baby chair, his bowels had emptied without his permission. And he’d been sitting in a dirty diaper for much too long!

Still, as tired he was of his dirty diaper, that didn’t mean that he wanted a diaper change! What he wanted was to be back home! Where he could have burgers and greasy fries, and 24/7 access to a toilet for pete’s sake!

But Dean had to admit, he did feel a lot better once Thing 2 had cleaned up his mess. The creature threw away the evidence of Dean’s humiliation, and started undressing the wound on his stomach. Dean tried to get a look at it once it was exposed, and was relieved to see that it was healing nicely. Still, he winced a bit when Thing 2 started to clean it. It was some kind of antiseptic, which Dean knew he needed to keep using on the wound to keep it from getting infected, but it still stung like a mother fucker!

Thing 2 make sad cooing sounds at him as it finished cleaning the wound, and after cleaning off a bit of dried blood from the area, and using a warm, wet washcloth to clean the rest of Dean’s stomach, Thing 2 put a new bandage back over the wound. Then it kissed his stomach, making Dean roll his eyes as he attempted to ignore the fluttery feeling in his tummy.

Dean half expected to join Sam in a bubble bath, but instead Thing 2 was rewetting a wash cloth. Soap was lathered a bit on the washcloth, and then Thing 2 started rubbing the wash cloth all over Dean’s body, except for where the bandage was wrapped around his stomach.

Dean was even more embarrassed now, as it’s hands cleaned every inch of him. He was especially unhappy when the creature cleaned his junk, and said a few choice curse words as he jerked unsuccessfully around on the table, trying to make Thing 2 take the hint! But the creature wasn’t deterred, and continued cleaning every inch. When it reached his feet, Dean couldn’t help the (totally manly!) shriek of laughter when the washcloth wiggled between his toes.

Thing 2’s eyes seemed to light up, and Dean’s stomach sank.

“Don’t you dare!” he tried to threaten the creature, but it was no use.

Thing 2 started ticking his toes, pulling reluctant giggles from Dean who desperately tried to kick his legs, trying anything to free them from this monster! Finally the tickling sensation got to be so much, that Dean peed a little. And since he wasn’t wearing a diaper, the stream went out and up. Thing 2 reacted quickly, covering Dean’s junk with the towel with a deep chuckle, leaving Dean feeling completely mortified. He’d just almost peed on his captor!

Not that he’d feel bad about it if he did, the fuckers deserved it! But still…how _embarrassing!_

Thankfully, Thing 2 seemed to decide that playtime was over. It tossed the now pee soaked towel away, and used a smaller to quickly wipe off Dean’s skin. Then another dry towel was used to dry Dean off, before he was quickly placed in a new diaper. Dean had never felt more grateful for the feel of the diaper tightly closed around him.

But it seemed as if bath-time wasn’t quite yet over. Instead of redressing him, Thing 2 unstrapped Dean from the table only to set him in an odd plastic chair. It had a harness, just like the one in the playpen, and once Dean was secured in, the chair reclined back all the way, until Dean was practically laying flat, his head in an odd, but weirdly comfy neck rest, and his head positioned over a small basin. Thing two then started washing his hair.

By this point, Dean was already feeling exhausted again. Embarrassment took a lot out of him. So he closed his eyes as the creature cleaned his hair. He didn’t open them when his head was rinsed off, or when his head was gently dried with a towel.

Dean did crack his eyes open when he felt a onesie being pulled over his head, and snapping together between his legs. Opposed to the long white garments he’d been wearing, this one was very blue, and there were pictures of strange cat/bird type animals dotted everywhere.

Dean huffed irritably at the babyish pattern, and closed his eyes again. He felt himself being carried and laid down on the bear he was always swaddled against whenever he was being put to sleep. Dean was almost out by the time Thing 2 was finished swaddling him, and he felt an extra blanket being tucked around him. Thing 2 said something in it’s weird melodic voice, but Dean couldn’t be bothered to try and make it out. As he fell asleep, he felt something pushing against his lips, and he let it in without much thought, giving it a small suck as he fell into a blissful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevitis translation
> 
> "Prican lition, Sahi" - "How sweet, Sahi"


	9. Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its been a while since my last chapter. I'm right at finals time, so I have very little time for writing. Hope you like this chapter!

Sam was carried by the creature holding him to an area on the floor of the room. It was carpeted, and there were all sorts of colorful objects, blankets, and books strewn about. Sam looked out past the creature’s shoulder to see what they were doing with Dean, but it looked like his brother had already fallen back asleep, and was being put in his crib by the creatures.

Suddenly Sam lost his vantage point as the creature sat down on the ground, still holding him in its arms. Sam was pulled away from the creature’s shoulder, and he was set down on its lap, his back flush against the creature’s stomach. Sam really didn’t want to be sitting on the creature’s leg, and he almost scrambled off onto the floor, only to be blocked by the creature’s long arm as it reached for something. When it pulled its arm back and held two books out in front of Sam, he was caught off guard.

“Pricandesuchi?”

Sam blinked at the books and then up at the creature. He…he thought he recognized some of those sounds, but with the syllables all mashed together, Sam couldn’t distinguish one individual word from another. But…Sam realized that the creature was trying to _read_ to him. Which, okay, was really juvenile, but it was the best opportunity Sam had had to listen to these creatures’ language.

Both had bright colors, and Sam was instantly curious at the pictures he saw. The one on the left was the one he’d flipped through earlier, but the other had a picture of a bed, and what looked like a child version of the creatures fast asleep in a bed. Curious at the new book, Sam started to reach for it, but instead of letting Sam take it, the creature set down the other book and started opening the other one. “Callia,” it said, and Sam felt it kiss the top of his head.

The creature opened up the book to what was obviously a cover page, and started presumably reading. “Imparate-Surver-Sevit,” it said, and Sam was straining his ears to try and distinguish one word from another. It started slowly flipping through the pages, and Sam was listening and watching intently, trying to distinguish sounds and pick out one he could clearly replicate. It was almost an information overload, as he tried to take in the sounds the creature was making, connect them with the squiggles and odd lines on the page, and the picture of whatever the creature was saying depicted.

And Sam did start to notice a pattern. Most of the pages started with a similar sound, “Imparate-autors,” the creature read, and Sam started listening for that first sound, that first word. _Impa…Inper? Impte?_

But soon, Sam realized that they were nearing the end of the book. On the very last page, Sam got the hang of distinguishing some of the words. “Imparate surver sevit. Imparate, ma lition.”

That must have been the end, because the creature started to close the book, but Sam let out the first noise he’d made sitting there on the floor. He stuck out his hand almost desperately, putting his hand on the page the creature had just read from, and pushed the book back open. “In-pha-! Uh…” Sam tried to make the sound, only to remember the pacifier that was still in his mouth. He was kind of mortified that he hadn’t realized he’d been sucking on it this whole time, but he forced himself to forget his embarrassment. Sam reached up and pulled the pacifier out of his mouth and held it in his hand as he tried to say the word again.

“Impate! No…impa…impa- _ra_ -te!” Sam looked up from the book into the creature’s eyes, and then pointed at the picture, the same one on the cover of the book of the child in bed. “Imparate!”

For a sickening moment, Sam thought he just sounded crazy. But then the creatures eyes went wide, and Sam felt hope blossom in his chest. “Prican, Sahi?” It said gently, and it pointed back at the picture. “Imparate?”

“Imparate,” Sam said, more confidently now, tapping the picture again before looking up at the creature for confirmation.

The creature’s face lit up, it looked as excited as Sam felt. “Keelo!” It called out across the room, and then the other creature was coming over and kneeling in front of them. The creature holding Sam gently tapped Sam’s arm to get him to look up at it again. It tapped the book with one of its long fingers and said, “Prican adi?”

“Imparate,” Sam said again, pleased that the word was getting easier to say. The pronunciation was weird compared to English, a bit heavy on the tongue, but Sam was managing it.

The other creature looked even more shocked than the one holding him had, and the creature holding him said something so fast that Sam couldn’t make out any sounds. Sam looked back and forth between the creatures as they spoke to each other, too fast to recognize anything, or even to try and attempt mimicking the words. The other creature started flipping back the pages of the book, and stopped on a page depicting the child and a sleeping bird-cat creature, like the one in the other book. It pointed at it, and then looked intently at Sam. “Autors,” it said.

“Ah-…aw-tors?” Sam tried tentatively, and the creature nodded and said it again, slower this time.

“Autors.”

“Autors,” said Sam, and the creature’s face looked even more excited, if that was even possible. It flipped back to the last page, and pointed at the picture, and Sam obediently answered. “Imparate,” he said, and Sam realized what the creature was doing. It was probably checking to see if Sam actually understood, or if he was just mimicking sounds. It flipped back to the other picture, and pointed at the weird bird-cat. “Autors!” Sam said determinedly.

A wide smile broke out across the creatures face, and Sam knew his own face must be mirroring it. He knew what “autors” meant! It was some sort of creature that lived in this dimension. And while Sam wasn’t 100% sure, he was pretty sure that “imparate” was something that these creatures said before going to sleep, similar to goodnight. The creatures knew he could communicate! He was _one_ step closer to getting out of diapers and back home!

The creature holding him tapped Sam’s side again, so that Sam would look at it. It pointed at its chest and said a new word. “Noxu.”

“Nok-zu…” Sam tried, but waited for the creature to repeat it before he tried again. “Noxu?” he said, and he pointed at the creature and said it again for good measure. “Noxu.”

The creature smiled, and then it pointed to the other creature and said, “Vava!”

This sound was a lot easier to replicate. It was a sort of soft “v” sound, almost like a “b” sound, and Sam had no problem replicating it on his first try. “Vava,” he said, and then it clicked. These must be the creatures’ names! Sam pointed at the one holding him and said, “Noxu,” and then turned to the other and pointed at it. “Vava.”

The creature holding him, Noxu, broke out into laughter, deep elated chuckles as it picked up Sam into its arms as kissed his head. “ _Callia,_ Sahi!” it said excitedly, and Sam smiled, even though he felt a little embarrassed. He looked over at Vava, who looked gobsmacked. But when it met Sam’s eyes, it smiled and leaned closer to him, running a finger through his hair before kissing his head too. And was it just Sam…or did Vava’s eyes look a bit teary?

And yeah, Sam was thrilled at it all, but it was still really embarrassing. On one hand, he was glad that he was starting to communicate with the creatures, but it was also like he was a baby saying its first words. And Sam knew that was how they probably saw this. But it was a step forwards, and Sam just had to keep moving forwards to learn their language…now if he only wasn’t so exhausted…

Being held up high in Noxu’s arms, Sam was feeling a little dizzy and a little sleepy. And it was still so frustrating that he got tired so quickly!

But Noxu seemed to notice that he was exhausted, because it cooed at him and started to stand up. Vava and Noxu both took him over to his crib and tucked him into the pink blankets, reminding Sam that he was wearing a hot pink monstrosity. But Sam chose to ignore it for the time being, wanting to reinforce the words he’d learned. “Imparate,” he said once last time as he looked up at the creatures.

They both smiled down at him, and Vava rubbed his back for a minute. “Imparate, lition Sahi,” it said softly, and with that, Sam allowed himself to close his eyes.

He’d make more progress with the whole language thing tomorrow.

~

Keelo and Noxu watched in fascination as Sahi fell asleep, and they looked at each other with almost unrestrained excitement. “Sahi started _speaking_ ,” Noxu said excitedly. “She’s learning!”

Keelo pulled Noxu away from the cribs so they wouldn’t accidently wake the sleeping humans. “Why did you teach her to call me ‘Vava!’” Keelo almost hissed, trying and failing to keep his face from flushing.

Noxu smiled a bit deviously back at Keelo. “Oh come now, you’ve become so attached to them, you’ve practically become their mother!”

“Vava” was the sevit word that younglings often called their mothers when they were first learning to speak, and hearing Sahi call him “Vava” had made Keelo’s heart jump into his throat. Noxu had jokingly started calling Keelo “Vava” when he started cooing excessively over Sahi or Deera, and when he was telling their coworkers endless stories about that cute thing Sahi did when she was drinking her bottle, or that adorable face Deera made the night before. To Noxu, it had started out as a joke, but it was undoubtedly true that Keelo was acting like a pseudo mother to the human younglings.

“Its…inappropriate,” Keelo said, definitely a little embarrassed now. But he couldn’t deny how attached he was to the younglings. “Or at the very least, don’t you think it’s a bit cruel? Who knows what their human mother did to them. And I’m not their mother.”

Noxu shook zis head. “We’ve talked briefly about what the future will hold for the humans. If we’re certain that we can’t send them back to their own dimension now, then we have to care for them here. And now we know, they’re learning. If we raise them here, then they might not be suited to life back in their home dimension, and if that’s the case, we need to give them as normal of a sevit life as possible. Perhaps that includes having a _mother_.”

Keelo’s eyes grew a bit sad. “You’re right, of course. A laboratory nursery is no place to raise children. So you think we should find a family unit that will be able to take care of them?”

Noxu rolled zis eyes and hit Keelo lightly on the arm. “No, we don’t need to find them a family! Its obvious to me that they’ve already _found_ one. Keelo, these younglings will face so many hardships in this word. You’ve seen how hard its been to get them to trust us, and now they’re starting to! You may not realize it yet, but you’re the perfect mother for Sahi and Deera. And _I_ am not giving them up either!” Noxu looked at Keelo seriously. “If we work together, you and I can provide Sahi and Deera with a home environment, full of love. What do you say, Vava?”

Keelo knew he was letting his emotions get the better of him, but he found that he wanted nothing more that to be Sahi and Deera’s Vava. Feeling determined, Keelo looked at Noxu, and with a large smile, he nodded, his heart feeling very full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevit Word Guide 
> 
> "Pricandesuchi" or "Prican de suchi?" - What do you like?  
> "Callia" - Good  
> "Imparate" - Goodnight  
> "Imparate Surver Sevit" - Goodnight Young Sevit  
> "Autors" - bird/cat, like a dog in our dimension  
> "Prican" - What  
> "Prican adi" - What is it/this?  
> "Vava" - Mommy


	10. Going Somewhere?

Dean wasn’t happy. That was a pretty standard feeling in his life, there was always _something_ that was making Dean anxious or angry, sad or scared. But this time Dean wasn’t happy because he was embarrassed, because sometime in between waking up sucking on a pacifier and being cooed at while his diaper was changed and he was fed from a bottle, Dean had come to a realization about his and Sam’s situation.

“There’re these creatures they call “autors,” not otters, it’s a little more of an “aw” sound, but as far as I can tell they’re like pets. They look like birds…or maybe cats? I don’t know. But this is _huge_ Dean! I’m starting to learn their words, and they know it!”

Dean just grunted half heartedly, too occupied with the new torture device he’d been left in. This was just further evidence to support his discovery, much to his chargin. He’d been put in a _baby saucer._ The seat was more like a plastic bucket with holes, one for each leg. It was clearly meant for something a bit bigger than him too, because it forced his legs out farther than was natural. A harness was buckled over his shoulder, keeping him from trying to climb out, and the entire seat was surrounded by a rounded tray that was littered in brightly colored plastic baubles. Dean’s toes barely scraped the floor of the horrible thing, and he could tell that it was designed to keep him from moving around too much, keeping him stuck like a real baby.

“They told me their names too,” Sam continued on, pacing around the playpen area, seemingly unbothered that Dean was, once again, strapped down. “The shorter one is Noxu, and the taller one is called Vava.”

“I don’t care!” Dean snapped, breaking Sam out of his rant. “Don’t you get what’s happening here!”

Sam looked blankly at Dean and shrugged his shoulders, making Dean groan.

“Look at us. They put you in here and let you move around however you want. But they never let me up! I’m always being held, or wrapped up in blankets, or strapped into some stupid something-or-other!” Dean said, growling increasingly irritated as he yanked against the baby saucer’s straps. “I haven’t been allowed on my feet since we got here!”

“So?” Sam said, not getting Dean’s point.

“ _So!”_ Dean said, stressing the word. “They think I’m younger than you!”

Sam blinked a bit in confusion, but then he blinked in understand. “Oh…” he said, really taking in the baby saucer for the first time, circling Dean where he was strapped in. “Ohhh!” Sam said again, but this time his voice was lighter as a smile spread across his face. “This is _hilarious_!” Sam moved to stand back in front of Dean. “They think I’m older than you because I’m _taller_.” Dean scowled at Sam as his brother started to laugh. “Hahaha, I seriously thought they were keeping you still just because of your knife wounds, but you’re right! They _do_ think I’m the older brother!”

“Oho, no they don’t!” Dean said bitterly, and Sam raised his eyebrow.

“Uh… _yeah_ , they do. You just said they think I’m older.”

“They think you’re older, but haven’t you noticed? They’ve been dressing you in _pink_ , and don’t think I didn’t notice the bow they have in your hair, _Samantha!”_

Sam’s hand flew up to his head, and instantly he felt the giant monstrosity that Dean was talking about. He yanked it off his head, pulling a few stray hairs with it, pulling it down to see the pink, glittery, oversized bow with his own eyes. Sam felt himself go pink! He hadn’t noticed when Vava had been dressing him that he’d gotten a _bow_ put in his hair, of all things!

“Oh my god…they think I’m a girl!” Sam said in shock. It all made perfect sense, and Sam was a little embarrassed that he hadn’t realized it earlier, seeing as how obvious it was in hindsight.

“I keep telling you Sammy,” Dean said with a smirk, fully ready to tease Sam back. “You’re hair’s too long! Make’s you look like a girl!”

“Shut up,” Sam grumbled, knowing he was probably as pink as the onesie he was wearing.

There wasn’t time for any more teasing, in either direction, because Noxu and Vava were pulling Sam and Dean out of the playpen. Both creatures had been moving around excitedly all morning, speaking fast to each other almost nonstop as they put stuff into bags, Sam wasn’t really sure what they’d been doing. Maybe organizing? But now that Sam was being held by Noxu, and Dean by Vava. They were both taken over to the changing table, and Vava started changing Dean’s diaper.

Sam knew he was dry, but Noxu was taking off his pink onesie anyway. Sam was initially relieved, glad to get _away_ from the color pink. That is, until he saw what Noxu planned on dressing Sam in instead.

Sam barely had the chance to look at it before Noxu was pulling it down over Sam’s head where he sat. It was a mass of light purple and white ruffles. Sam felt his head and arms pop out of the holes, and he looked incredulously at the lavenderish fabric.

Noxu wasn’t done yet however, as Sam felt something pulling through his hair. His hair was parted and tied on either side of his head, and then Noxu was lifting him up from under his arms and standing him on his white socked-feet.

Sam stood on the changing table, feeling a little dazed and confused. Normally Noxu or Vava would snap the fabric of the clothes they put him in together between his legs, but Noxu hadn’t done that. Still wasn’t doing that. Noxu made a sort of soft squealing noise of delight, and Sam suddenly realized that the purple and white fabric wasn’t _supposed_ to snap together. Because it was a _dress_.

Sam felt his heart sink at the realization. They really did think he was a girl!

Instantly Sam tugged on the bottom of the dress, trying to pull it down, but it was so short, that it barely brushed the tops of his thighs. If he moved at all his diapered bottom would be on full display!

Here he was, a grown man! With his hair in pigtails, wearing a babydoll dress and a diaper!

Sam was absolutely _mortified_ , and here he’d thought nothing could humiliate him further!

Noxu picked Sam back up before he had time to protest the dress, and Sam saw that Dean had been dressed in a sort of blue and white sailor style onesie with tiny little shorts and a big collar. They both looked at each other in complete embarrassment, and with a silent look they agreed. _No teasing about this!_

Then, Sam saw them start heading towards the door.

Sam’s heart leapt in both excitement and anxiety. Ever since they’d first woken up in a new dimension, they’d never left this room. Well, as far as Sam knew. And now, the two creatures that had been caring for them all this time were carrying Dean and Sam _out._   
They were led down hallways, carpeted floors and rooms with big glass windows, it reminded Sam of a doctor’s office or a research lab of some sort. Sam clutched unconsciously at the front of Noxu’s robe-like shirt as they passed more of the giant creatures in the hallway. All of them looked at him and Dean, smiling and cooing, some of them waving their fingers and saying something to Noxu or Vava. Sam shied away from all the unfamiliar giants, unused to having such attention. Then, they were walking through an open place, Sam guessed it was a lobby of some kind, and then they were outside.

Just like in the picture books Sam had looked through, the grass in this dimension was _blue_. Sam was looking around in fascination at everything, the way the sky was more purple and pink than blue, the way the trees, or what he guessed were trees, spiraling up towards the sky. Blinking in the light of the sun (at least that looked fairly familiar!) Sam tried to figure out what Noxu and Vava were taking him and Dean to do.

If Sam had to guess, he’d say they were in a parking lot of sorts. There were all sorts of vehicular looking objects, not dissimilar from cars, and the creatures were carrying them over to one.

Noxu carried Sam to one side, and Vava took Dean to the other, the back doors were open, and Sam looking inside the vehicle to see two seats that looked remarkably similar to car seats. _Oh boy._

Noxu actually slid into the vehicle, sitting in the space in between the two seats, before he put Sam into the smaller looking car seat. It was facing frontwards, and Sam grimaced, but allowed Noxu to manipulate his arms in legs until Sam was buckled into a harness in the car seat.

On the other side of Noxu, Vava was strapping in Dean to the other, larger car seat. This one was backwards facing, like the car seats used for newborns and small babies back in their home dimension. Despite the humor of it, Sam did feel a little bad for Dean, because he was clearly being treated as much younger. Then again, Sam was the one wearing a _dress_.

Noxu stayed between the seats and Vava went to the front, starting up the car-like thing. And then Sam and Dean were off for a new adventure in this strange dimension, a feeling of dread hanging over them both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! (sorta) life's still busy, but I'm hopeful I'll be able to start updating regularly again. Thanks for reading


	11. Not Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sahi is nervous, and Keelo is a bit of a drama queen.

Keelo glanced back at the Noxu sitting between the younglings, feeling a bit of trepidation. Noxu was trying to keep them both calm, and though he couldn’t see him because of the carseat, Keelo knew that Deera wasn’t very happy by the noises he was making as Noxu rubbed his stomach in vain. Sahi didn’t look happy either, her face was very pensive as she alternated between glancing out the window, and tugging on her new dress.

The new clothes for Sahi and Deera had come from a female sevit that worked at their lab, one of the ones who was currently providing some of her breast milk for Deera. Her younglings, a male and female, had outgrown some of their clothes, and she had been kind enough to donate them to Keelo. They had to dress Deera in newborn clothes because he was so small, and Sahi was wearing clothes for a younger sevit than Keelo suspected was her real age. Developmentally, Keelo would peg Sahi as a toddler, she was able to push herself onto her feet and walk about for short periods of time, and she was capable of learning words. But Sahi was definitely smaller than a sevit toddler. Keelo wasn’t sure if it was because Sahi was a human, and humans just tended to be smaller than sevit, or if it was because she was malnourished. As much as he wished it wasn’t, Keelo guessed it was probably because of malnutrition and neglect, based on her general shyness, as well as the injuries that both she and Deera had been sporting when they came to this dimension.

So Sahi was wearing clothes meant for a younger baby, but she still looked _adorable_. Noxu had insisted on dressing Deera and Sahi up today, because it would be their first time out of the lab since waking, and Noxu wanted the human younglings to make a good first impression at the daycare they were currently taking them to.

Through much discussion, Keelo and Noxu had agreed that they would start taking the younglings to a daycare. Keelo had been very reluctant at first, but he saw why it was necessary. Sahi and Deera needed to start socializing with children their own age if they were going to develop normally. If they were going to be a part of the sevitis society, they would have to learn their language and their culture, and how to connect with the sevit younglings who would become their peers. It was also true that Keelo and Noxu had other responsibilities and research to continue with back at the lab. Caring for Sahi and Deera was a fulltime job, and while Keelo know that both he and Noxu preferred caring for the younglings, and would both gladly do it and nothing else, if they really wanted to raise Deera and Sahi as if they were regular sevit younglings, then they needed to continue their normal jobs.

So, they were taking the younglings to daycare, the same one that most adult sevitis at their workplace used. Today was just going to be a trial, they wouldn’t leave Deera and Sahi for more than an hour or so, just long enough for the daycare workers to introduce the new environment to the younglings, and hopefully allow them both a chance to have fun and make new friends.

But Keelo couldn’t deny it, he was _nervous_. What if the sevit younglings treated Sahi and Deera poorly because they looked so much different? What if Sahi and Deera were unhappy? What if there was an emergency? Keelo had expressed these worries to Noxu, who’d rolled zis eyes and told Keelo that he was acting like a nervous mother. But they’d both agreed that, at least on this first trip, they wouldn’t leave the daycare. They’d wait for Sahi and Deera, unseen by the younglings, just in case there was an emergency of some kind. It made Keelo feel a bit better, but as he pulled into the parkinglot for the daycare and glanced back at Sahi in the car seat, he could feel his unease returning.

Sahi was still fidgeting with her dress, and she was ignoring all of Noxu’s attempts to get her to look over at zim. Sahi’s face was impassive, but her hands were clenched tightly in the fabric of her dress, and her eyes were full of dread as she looked out the window.

Noxu was unstrapping Deera and getting out of the back seat, and then zee was moving around the car to retrieve Sahi as well. Keelo was watching Sahi, who finally glanced back over to him. Her eyes were big and sad, her brow furrowed. But then, Noxu was opening the side door, and pulling Sahi out, who started once again looking around at their surroundings with confusion and worry. Keelo hurried out of the vehicle to join Noxu.

Noxu was bouncing a very squirmy and fussy Deera in one arm, and zee gestured for Keelo to take Sahi. He scooped Sahi into his arms, and felt her fingers dig into his shoulder instantly, gripping onto him tightly. Not for the first time, Keelo wished he could know what was going through Sahi’s head. The youngling looked…almost scared.

“Yes, Deera, I _know_. You don’t like to be held!” Noxu was cooing at the baby sympathetically as zee led them all into the daycare center. Keelo watched Sahi glance nervously at Deera, and then back at the building they were going into.

They approached the front counter where a zeemale sevit was smiling, looking with curiosity and perhaps a bit of awe at the human younglings. Zee was cheerful and waved at Sahi, Deera was pushing against Noxu too much to pay the new sevit any attention, but Keera noticed with some concern that Sahi was growing more and more anxious, and her grip on his shirt was growing ever tighter.

“I’ll take them back now,” the sevit said kindly. “We’ll watch them carefully, since it’s their first time with us. And you both can sit in the observation room if you like? It has a window into both the toddler room where Sahi will be, and the infant room where we’ll put mister squirmy!”

Keelo felt Sahi breath in sharply as Noxu passed Deera to the sevit over the counter. It took a few moments for zim to get the baby in a secure enough hold to where he wouldn’t wriggle free, but in the time it took to get Deera secured, Sahi became as stiff as a rod in Keelo’s arms.

Keelo wished he knew what about this was making Sahi so nervous! He didn’t want her to be upset, but they needed this daycare option if he was going to help raise the humans. He tried not to feel guilty…he was only leaving her for an hour! But…Sahi didn’t know that. In fact…she had no idea what was going on at all…could it be…was it possible that Sahi thought that he was _abandoning_ them?

Then the sevit was pulling Sahi from him, and the youngling yelped, and grabbed onto his shirt fruitlessly as the sevit started to pull Sahi on zis hip.

Sahi’s eyes were wide, definitely scared. More than scared. _Terrified_. “Vava!” she said as his shirt was pulled from her grasp, her arm reaching out to him even as the sevit took her and Deera away, and Keelo’s heart sunk.

Keelo almost called out to her, almost called the daycare worker back and demanded zee bring the humans back to him! But the sevit disappeared behind a door, and a choked noise wrenched itself from Keelo’s throat.

“Keelo!” Noxu said in alarm, noticing for the first time Keelo’s distress. “Are you…are you about to _cry?”_

“She called out to me,” Keelo said, desperately trying to keep tears from escaping form his eyes. “She’s terrified, Noxu! And I just let zim take her away! Its too soon for this, they need to bring them back! They’re not ready for daycare!”

Noxu slapped a hand over zis mouth, and Keelo got the distinct impression that zee was trying not to laugh. But Noxu composed zimself quickly, and placed a comforting hand on Keelo’s shoulder.

“Come on Vava…they’re going to be just fine! This is going to be good for them, remember? Sahi is a strong one, she’s going to be just fine. Let’s go to the observation area at we can watch them.”

Keelo allowed Noxu to lead him away, too busy feeling guilty to be annoyed at Noxu’s slightly patronizing tone.


	12. Care for the Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, a lot of you didn't like the daycare! Well, the good news, is that its really only for this chapter. I never intended to use it for very long, but its a bit important for what I want to do next! Hope you don't mind it for just this chaper

Sam huffed in frustration as Vava and Noxu disappeared, and he and Dean were being carried away by a strange sevit. His gut twisted uncomfortably, his cheeks red as he hunched in on himself in the new giant’s arms.

He couldn’t deny that he was curious about where they were going. Sam had been fascinated about this dimension’s world when they’d first left the place where they’d been kept so far. But the longer they drove, the more anxious Sam was getting.

He’d never been too overly concerned about his clothes…there were too many other things in life to worry about than a fashion sense. But something about the inevitability of going out wearing a dress…in _public_ …

Sam wanted to groan just thinking about it.

It was embarrassing! So what if the creatures thought of him as a child…and a girl. Diapers and baby paraphernalia was one thing, but frilly girly dresses was a completely different ball game!

Sam had really hoped that he could get Vava to try speaking with him again, maybe he’d learn the creature’s language for “get me out of this DRESS, I’m a boy who doesn’t like dresses!”

Okay… so maybe that wasn’t plausible. But Sam really didn’t want to face whatever it was he and Dean were being taken to without the two creatures he’d at least gotten used to!

Sam tried to look at their new surroundings because he was still curious, despite his immense embarrassment. He managed to glimpse in a window as they passed, and suddenly Sam knew where they were.

There were smaller versions of the creatures inside the room he managed to get a look at. They were all sitting in a circle, looking up at a regular sized creature, toys scattered round, and a book being held in the adult’s hand.

They were in a daycare center.

_Great_.

The creature holding Sam opened a door, and Sam looked down to see even smaller of the silver creatures, though they still looked bigger than him! They were toddling around, playing with blocks, some holding toys or blankets. Before he knew it, Sam was being sat down on the floor, and the creature was leaving the room, still holding Dean.

Sam scrambled to his feet, watching the creature walk away with a very angry looking Dean through the room’s glass windows. Sam sighed, knowing that Dean was probably being taken to a baby room. That would only decrease Dean’s mood even further, and Sam really didn’t envy him. Sam turned around back to face the room, and nearly fell down in surprise.

One of the toddlers had approached him while he’d been distracted. Standing up, the little creature was a good few inches taller than him, and Sam felt really strange. He hadn’t had to look up to many people since he’d had a growth spurt late in his high school years.

The toddler’s head was tilted in confusion, and Sam guessed he probably looked pretty weird to these creatures. Sam attempted a nervous smile, which had the toddler smiling back at him. It thrust its hands forwards, holding out some sort of plastic toy for Sam.

“Oh…uh…thank you, but I’m okay…” Sam stammered, holding his hands up to refuse the toy.

A look of wonder crossed the child’s face, and the toy bounced on the ground, completely forgotten as it reached out and took Sam’s hand in it’s own. It maneuvered Sam’s hand around in fascination, and Sam just let it, not really knowing what else to do. One of the creature’s fingers started tracing Sam’s own, and Sam realized that it was noticing that he had only five fingers, as opposed to it’s six.

Without much warning, the child grabbed Sam’s hand, their fingers laced together, and the child started dragging him deeper into the room.

Sam stumbled after the child a bit. In truth, he was letting himself be dragged along. But since he was likely stuck in this room until Vava or Noxu came back for him, he didn’t see the point in being rude. He could pull his hand free if he wanted to, but something about the creature’s genuine curiosity had Sam feeling curious too. What did it want from him?

The toddler was leading him towards the adult creature that was watching them all, Sam quickly realized. Suddenly the child fell to the ground, and since it was holding Sam’s hand, he went down after it, caught by surprise. The fall didn’t hurt at all, but he did fall hard enough that his dress flew up, and Sam scrambled to pull it back down, but a loud wail startled him.

The child had started crying, the fall must have scared it, and Sam was reminded of human toddlers and how they sometimes cried like this, even if they weren’t hurt.

“Oh, gosh, uh, its okay!” Sam said hastily, inching a bit closer to the upset child. Hesitantly, Sam reached out and tugged the child’s hand away from his elbow, which he was gripping as he cried. The skin there didn’t look any different from the skin around it, so Sam figured the child must not be seriously hurt. “Its okay,” he tried his best to calm him down. “Look,” Sam leaned over and pressed a kiss against the child’s elbow, and gave it a quick rub, like he remembered John doing to him when he was just a little boy. “Its all better!” Sam said in a cheerful voice.

The child was calming down, and though tears were still falling, he was looking at Sam with wide eyes, and he started rubbing his elbow like Sam had. Sam smiled encouragingly. He wasn’t really sure why he felt the need to comfort the kid, but he was very glad when the child smiled back at him, and even gave a little giggle.

A shadow passed overhead, and then the adult creature was kneeling next to them on the carpet. It was cooing at the child, and used its smallest finger to wipe away the last traces of tears on the child’s face. Then it turned to Sam, smiling widely. Sam flushed at the look the creature was giving him, and then, remembering that his dress was still hiked up, he started tugging it down hastily.

The creature cooed again, and very slowly, it ran its fingers over his back, before placing a kiss on the top of his head, making Sam more embarrassed.

Unfortunately, all the commotion from their little fall seemed to have caught the attention of the rest of the toddlers in the room, and now they were all crowded around him.

Sam gulped a bit.

He’d never liked being the center of attention in school…

 

Dean had been angry all morning, but he was even angrier when this new creature put him in the _baby room_. And it was obviously the baby room too, because it was filled with baby swings, rocking chairs, and a very prominent changing table right smack in the middle of the room. Dean was handed to another creature that seemed to be the one in charge of the room, and holding him in her arms, she sat down on the floor where a few babies were sitting and crawling around, holding him securely in her arms.

Dean struggled against her, but fighting her only caused her to start bouncing him in her arms as she made melodic sounds. Dean groaned as he slumped against her, resigning himself to be continually stuck, even in a freaking _daycare_.

Once he’d settled, the creature holding him tried to get him to look at her. But Dean wasn’t taking the bait. He ignored the creatures gentle bouncing, and turned up his nose as the baby toys she brought to him, trying to get him to interact with her.

Dean just huffed and crossed his arms. He was _so done_ with this baby thing!

One of the babies, the one closest to him, was mouthing on something. Some kind of toy car or something similar maybe, Dean noticed out of the corner of his eye. But he only noticed because the baby was crawling closer to him and the adult creature.

When the baby reached them, it put a hand up on the adult’s crossed legs, and hoisted itself to its feet, looking really wobbly. Dean watched as the baby pulled the toy out of it’s mouth, covered in drool, and dropped it _in his lap._

The baby promptly dropped back to its hands and knees and crawled away again. Dean picked up the drool covered toy with no small amount of disgust, and tossed it down on the floor away from him. And now his hands had baby drool on them, _great!_

Dean wiped his hands off on the pants leg of the adult holding him, and felt the creature start to laugh. Dean gave her the best glare he could manage, but judging by the cooing sounds he got in return, it wasn’t effective.

For a while longer the creature persistently brought toys in front of Dean, and would start pushing the buttons, or stroking the soft fur, and trying to get Dean to play, but Dean refused. The creature may be persistent, but he was _stubborn_!

After what felt like an eternity, the creature stood up, and she placed him down into a baby saucer like the one he’d been in that morning, and Dean slumped down into it dejectedly. At least this was better than being held! The creature was taking one of the babies over to the changing table, and Dean shifted uncomfortably, for once glad that it had been Thing 1…er, Vava, or whatever Sam had said its name was, had been the one to change his diaper earlier. The _last_ thing he wanted was this stranger changing him!

He was glad he was being left alone, but still, Dean was _bored_. He’d not been able to do anything remotely interesting since being dropped in this dimension, and that was still true here at the stupid daycare. Dean rested his head on his arm, and using his free hand, he started to flick one of the plastic toys that surrounded him in the baby saucer. It spun satisfyingly fast and made a noise from the brightly colored beads that moved around inside the clear plastic shape. Dean flicked it again, causing it to pick up momentum, and he kept doing so over and over, absently watching as the colored beads blurred together.

It was oddly soothing to watch. Dean had always been a visual person. That was part of why he loved driving so much, it was peaceful watching the road zip by, the trees losing definition and turning into green blurs that sped past the closer they were to him.

He wouldn’t say that he was entertained by the baby toy…but at least he wasn’t so bored anymore.

 

Sam was feeling _really_ embarrassed.

For some reason, it seemed like every toddler in the daycare room had decided that they liked him…or something.

Sam sat in the middle of the room, crossed legged in the middle of a giant pile of toys and blankets. A child would toddle over to him, sometimes chattering with sounds that Sam didn’t understand, and hand him whatever it was they were holding. Sam didn’t know what to do. If he tried to refuse it, the child would keep insisting until he took it, start looking teary eyed, or just set it down next to him anyway. So Sam started accepting the toys, and then putting them down as soon as the toddler walked away.

He felt slightly like he was being buried alive by baby toys…

Sam accepted yet another toy from the child who’d started all this, the one who’d fell and apparently decided that Sam was his new best friend. In honesty, the child was being so sweet, but Sam didn’t like being the center of attention, especially because he was wearing a _dress_ with _pigtails_ in his hair still!

After what felt like a very long time, the door opened, and Sam saw the creature from earlier walking in. It said something to the adult minding the toddlers, and plucked Sam up from the middle of the pile of toys. Some of the toddlers looked very sad, and one even made a noise of protest, but Sam was actually a bit relieved to be leaving. The creature cooed at him as it walked to another room, and went inside.

This room had babies, crawling all over the floor, and Dean was sitting in a saucer, looking dazed. He seemed to come back to himself when he was lifted out of the seat, and he gripped the creature’s shirt as he looked around in a bit of confusion.

“You okay?” Sam asked, feeling a bit worried, but hearing his voice snapped Dean completely out of his stupor.

“Yeah…Just…really fucking glad we’re leaving.”

Sam found himself nodding in agreement as the creature led them back out the way they were brought in. Noxu and Vava were standing there, and Noxu reached out both arms to take Sam and Dean from the other creature.

As soon as they were passed over, Noxu started kissing the tops of their heads, and speaking very fast. Sam was a bit bewildered, and even more so when he saw tears in Noxu’s eyes. Sam shot Vava a concerned look, but Vava just smiled and patted Noxu’s shoulder before stroking Sam’s back.

Vava scooped Sam up from Noxu, leaving Dean sitting a bit lethargically in Noxu’s grasp, and they were taken back out to their vehical.

And Sam was just…really confused by the whole experience. And he was really very glad to be back with the two more familiar creatures in this dimension.

 

Once Keelo saw how well Sahi made friends in the toddler room, almost all of his worries faded quickly away. Deera was clearly resisting any socialization attempts, but he wasn’t at all distressed in any visible way. And Sahi was so sweet to the other youngling, it made Keelo’s heart melt and break at the same time. Sahi clearly had very high protective instincts, and Keelo wondered if those had been developed because of a hard home life before she and Deera came here.

Noxu had come to the same conclusion that Keelo did, that Sahi was so strong because of the past abuse, that Noxu’s composure had cracked a bit. It was like they’d traded initial rolls, Noxu was now the one on the verge of tears, vocalizing that zee thought they should go in and get Sahi and Deera and take them home.

Keelo was able to keep Noxu mostly calm as they continued to watch Deera and Sahi through the one-way mirrored window, convincing zim to wait out the full hour before they retrieved the younglings and brought them back to the lab. Socialization _was_ very important for Sahi and Deera, but after today, Keelo somehow thought that between the two of them, daycare would almost never be an option as anything more than just a large playdate.

_Finally_ , the hour was up, and Keelo and Noxu both were excited to have the younglings back in their arms. But Noxu got to the verge of tears _again_ as zee took Sahi and Deera, and Keelo tried to comfort Noxu as zee told the younglings in a choked voice how proud zee was of them. It took a lot of effort not to laugh at Sahi’s bewildered look that she gave to him at Noxu’s slight hysterics.

Keelo had gladly taken Sahi back into his arms, and was glad to see her so relaxed. And Deera was unusually complacent in Noxu’s arms, even though he hadn’t gotten much activity in the daycare center. But Keelo guessed it must be a good sign, that Deera was starting to settle a bit.

 

It was late in the day when they got back to the lab, and Deera was fighting sleep adorably in Keelo’s arms as he took the baby inside. It was very difficult to get Deera to take a bottle, he kept moaning and turning his face away from the nipple, but finally Keelo managed to get him to suck down about a fourth of the milk before the youngling was out like a light, and Keelo swaddled him carefully against the stuffed toy and placed him in the crib for bed.

Sahi was similarly exhausted, but she was fighting sleep vehemently. Noxu was reading to her, and Keelo could practically see the gears turning behind her intelligent eyes as she tried to pick up words, sounding them out aloud after Noxu.

But soon, Keelo decided that Sahi needed sleep.

Noxu changed Sahi’s diaper as Keelo got a bottle ready, it was still just standard food for toddlers, but soon he would start trying to introduce Sahi to a bottle of breast milk every day or so, so they could try and put some weight on her.

Keelo fed Sahi her nighttime bottle, and though she took it would the fuss that Deera had, she too fell asleep before she could finish it.

Noxu was cooing at the cute picture that a sleeping Sahi made, and Keelo tucked her into her crib, unable to stop smiling.

He felt so truly lucky to be taking care of the darling little humans. He found himself wanting to make them happy, to give them love and protect them from any harm. He felt fortunate to take care of them, and in a way, he was truly starting to feel like a _mother_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it... Sam (Sahi) was nervous because of the dress! Not because of anything else. And Noxu cares too! Zee just had to show it at a different time. Thanks for reading, hope you liked it


	13. Don't Hold me Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are about to get angst-y, so just a warning for that up ahead. But everythings going to turn out fine, because lets be honest, I don't want to write sad stuff :)

Some time in the middle of the night, Keelo was checking on Sahi and Deera, and saw that Deera was in desperate need of a change. He didn’t particularly want to wake the sleeping baby, but if he woke, Keelo could coax him back to sleep with a bottle. Then he’d even feel a bit better that Deera had gotten enough to eat, since he hadn’t had much that day.

Slowly and carefully, Keelo unswaddled Deera from the blankets, and laid him on his back to start the change. Remarkably, Deera hardly stirred as Keelo removed the very messy diaper and cleaned him up. After the first week, Deera had always woken up during diaper changes, but this time he stayed fast asleep, his face slightly pinched in sleep.

Once he was finished changing and redressing Deera, Keelo ran a finger gently over the scrunched up lines in the baby’s forehead, noting that the skin was a little warm. Keelo decided not to wrap Deera in as many blankets when he put him back in his crib. The open wound had been healing nicely and had scabbed over, so at this point Keelo was just taking precautions to keep it from reopening. He figured it would be alright to allow Deera a bit more movement than usual, and he would just make sure that he and Noxu were there in the morning to keep him from doing anything too active.

Keelo used a lighter blanket to swaddle Deera, and this time, he didn’t tie him to the stuffed doll, but simply placed him on top of it so he could snuggle into it, which he did with a sigh, making Keelo smile.

Keelo couldn’t have known it, but it was the last time he would feel such calm for a while.

 

It must have been morning, because Sam was awoken by the feeling of his blankets being pulled back, and a giant hand rubbing his back. Sam turned he head up to look blearily at Vava, who was trying to rouse him, but Sam was having none of it. He was too damn tired still.

Sam reached down and pulled the blanket back up around his head, curling back up as he threw out an “Imparate,” intent on going back to sleep.

Sam heard Vava give a surprised laugh. “ _Imparate?”_ it said in it’s deep voice. “ _Kso_ imparate.” Vava was trying to tug the blankets off of Sam again, but Sam held onto them tight.

“Kso” might be the word for “no,” Sam remembered them making that sound at him and Dean whenever they were doing something the creatures didn’t want them to do. But he’d have to try it out later, because he was still exhausted after yesterday’s trip. He wanted to sleep a bit more!

Vava was still laughing while tugging on the blankets gently. “Sahi…” Vava’s voice cooed melodically, and Sam peaked one curious eye out at the creature.

“Sahi” was definitely a sound Sam recognized. “Sahi” and “Deera.” Both Vava and Noxu used “Sahi” with him a lot, and “Deera” with Dean. Suddenly it occurred to Sam that while he’d been told Vava and Noxu’s names, he’d never shared his own, and Dean certainly hadn’t either. Could it be that they were calling _him_ “Sahi?”

Now Sam was more awake, curious if his hunch was correct. If they had started calling him “Sahi,” Sam wanted to correct them, let them know his name was _Sam_. He’d just about decided to sit up and start talking with Vava, when a horrible retching sound came from across the room, accompanied by a gasp.

Vava disappeared from overhead, and Sam scrambled up to see Noxu and Vava scooping up Dean from the other crib.

Even from far away, Sam could see that Dean’s skin had gone almost grey. His brother was visibly trembling, and Sam felt his heart freeze in his chest.

Noxu and Vava were speaking to each other with panicked voices, Sam gripped the bars of the crib with white knuckles as he watched Vava lay Dean down on the changing table, and pull away the sick covered blanket he was wrapped in. Sam watched in horror as Dean’s body began shaking, even more violently than before, his chest heaving, and Sam could hear Dean’s labored breathing, even from across the room.

Without thinking, Sam started to try and pull himself up and over the bars of the crib. Nothing else mattered other than getting to Dean and figuring out what was wrong with his brother! But the bars of the crib were high, to high for Sam to reach. He tried to pull himself up, jumping and just managing to get his fingers hooked on the edge of the bars. But in his nervousness, his hands had started to sweat, and Sam slipped and fell back to the crib’s mattress.

Vava’s head snapped over to Sam, his eyes looking fearful, and he said something to Noxu, his voice harsh. Noxu started moving instantly, walking back towards Sam. Sam’s instinct was to draw away, but there wasn’t anywhere for him to go in the crib. Noxu scooped him up easily, and then Noxu was headed out the door. 

“No!” Sam started struggling against Noxu immediately. “Put me down, _DEAN!”_ But Noxu simply held him tighter, completely unfazed by Sam’s kicking and writhing.

Sam could only watch with a sinking feeling as the door to the room where they normally stayed was closed behind them, but he didn’t stop struggling against Noxu, even as they entered a different room across the hall.

Noxu shifted Sam to one arm, still holding him tightly, and started turning on water from the faucets in the two sinks against the wall. Sam still hadn’t given up struggling against Noxu, but he felt so helpless knowing that even his best efforts weren’t doing him any good.

Then Noxu was sitting him down on the counter next to the sink, which was filling with running water, giant hands resting on his thighs to keep him sitting down.

“Tere, Sahi,” Noxu was crouched over, looking at him at eye level, and Sam saw with dread that there were tears gathering in Noxu’s eyes. “Tere aloidan sterlyn.”

Sam didn’t know what that meant, but he could here the obvious plea in Noxu’s voice. And Sam was so confused, and _worried_ , that he stopped struggling. With a relieved sigh, Noxu stood up, murmuring a soft “Callia,” and then Sam was being undressed. Once he was naked except for his diaper, Noxu ran it's hands up to it's elbows under the running water, and pulling out a strongly scented soap, lathered and scrubbed the skin vigorously. Once done, Noxu popped the tabs of Sam’s diaper, and picked him up, setting him down into the other sink that was now half filled with warm water.

It was so much different from the bubble bath he’d gotten, only a few days ago. Noxu was humming at him, probably trying to keep him calm, but instead of a gentle washing, Sam was being scrubbed from head to toe. The soap smelled strong, reminding Sam too much of a hospital, and Sam’s worry only grew. But he allowed Noxu to clean him off without a struggle.

Noxu used cupped hands to hold clean water and rinse Sam off, and then Noxu pulled out the stopper in the sink so that the water drained out. Sam watched as Noxu picked up the clothes that he’d been wearing, and tossed them into a trashcan with what looked like a warning label on it, and then went back to the other sink to scrub hands again. Then Sam was lifted out and patted, dry and re-diapered. But with his clothes gone, Noxu just wrapped Sam up tightly in a towel and held him again. Noxu kissed Sam’s head, and holding him very tightly, went back out into the hallway. Sam tried to look back in the room where Dean was, but he was being pressed against Noxu’s chest, making seeing _anything_ difficult. 

Noxu’s voice began rumbling all around Sam, and Sam tried to see whoever Noxu was talking to. It was an unfamiliar creature, but it was wearing the same style robe-like clothes that Noxu and Vava wore.

Sam was starting to panic. He had no idea what was happening to Dean…if his brother was alright, or if he was…dying…

“Dean…” Sam whispered, the worry building up pressure inside of his stomach as he started to push weakly against Noxu again. “I need…I’ve got to help him…”

Noxu was still speaking to the other creature, and Sam was moving past feeling anxious and into a full panic attack. His brother was in trouble, and these creatures were keeping him from Dean! He couldn’t help him, he was completely helpless, he couldn’t even break free of Noxu’s hold.

“I need…I have to help Dean! Let me _go_ I have to _help Dean!”_ Sam knew he was starting to shout, but he didn’t care. He was pushing as hard as he could against Noxu. “ _DEAN!”_

Sam couldn’t focus on anything except the hands restraining him, keeping him from his brother. He yelled Dean’s name, over and over, unable to do anything else. It carried on and on, and Sam was sinking...sinking...


	14. Fever

Keelo held his hand against Deera’s feverished forehead, and cursed slightly as he glanced at the door, wondering how long it would take for the doctor he’d called to come. Deera wasn’t shaking as prominently now that Keelo had gotten him unwrapped, but now the baby was totally lethargic, unresponsive to any of Keelo’s attempts to stimulate him. Keelo had already taken Deera’s temperature with a rectal thermometer, and knowing Deera’s personality, that should have caused the youngling to through a big fuss. But instead, Deera hadn’t even seemed to notice, his eyelids fluttering as Keelo got the reading, which was concerningly high.

Keelo thought he knew what might be the cause of Deera’s fever. It wasn’t uncommon for sevit younglings to contract a bacterial sickness known as Turus, because it was so commonly found throughout the world. Usually, younglings who contracted it hardly showed any symptoms because their mother’s immune system had provided them with the antibodies passed through her breast milk, making the infection minimally impactful. But Deera wasn’t a sevit, and in hindsight, it seemed obvious that he wouldn’t have the immunity to sicknesses that sevit younglings did.

Keelo’s stomach felt heavy with guilt. He should have known better, done more to prevent this. But all he could do now was wait for the doctor to arrive, and treat the symptoms of Deera’s illness.

Keelo undressed Deera completely, and quickly got a container of cool water and some sponges. Keelo started sponging the cold water over Deera’s entire body, hoping to at least make the youngling feel better until he could get medical attention.

Suddenly there was the sound of screaming in the hallway, and Keelo looked up to see Noxu holding a writhing Sahi in zis arms. Sahi was clearly very distressed, she normally didn’t have outbursts like this, and it deepened the guilt he was feeling. Noxu ushered away with Sahi, out of sight, and the sevit zee was standing with came into the room.

“Let me see the child,” she said immediately, and Keelo stood aside to allow the doctor to access Deera. Using a swab, The doctor quickly took a sample of saliva from Deera’s mouth, frowning when she saw how dry his mouth was. Keelo watched anxiously as the doctor put the swab into a vial that was partially filled with a solution, and shook it gently in her fingers, until the once clear solution turned a deep blue.

“He has turus,” the doctor said with a grimace, and even though Keelo was expecting it, his stomach sunk. Now the doctor was putting a listening device to Deera’s chest, presumably listening to his heartbeat. “You’ve been monitoring him?” she asked, and Keelo nodded. “What is his usual heart rate? Is it different from a sevit youngling?”

“His average heart rate is 59 beats in minute. The other human has a similar average heart rate.”

The doctor hummed at this, and after a few more seconds took the device away. “His heart is pumping a bit faster than that, but it doesn’t seem to be too extreme. I’d keep an eye on it, but it shouldn’t cause him too much of an issue.” The doctor placed the back of her hand against Deera’s forehead and cheek, and frowned. “He’s definitely too warm. But that means his body is working hard to fight the infection.”

“So what should we do?” Keelo asked nervously.

“Well, the sponge bath is a very good start,” she said, nodding at the plastic tub Keelo had on the changing table next to Deera. “That will help him feel more comfortable. But the most you can do is make sure that he stays hydrated.”

Keelo’s eyes widened incredulously. “That’s it? Isn’t there something we can give him?”

The doctor looked pinched. “There isn’t anything I can give for turus, except to reduce the fever if it gets too high. Turus hasn’t harshly impacted sevit younglings for centuries, their mother’s antibodies are too advanced. The only thing to do is wait for the human’s body to fight off the infection itself.”  
Keelo was less than happy at this response, and it must have shown on his face, because the doctor put a hand on his arm before continuing.

“You said on the phone he’s been drinking sevit breast milk? That’s good, you should continue that, and if at all possible, if there is a sevit mother with a sick child willing to donate some of their milk, it will have a higher concentration of fats and antibodies. It’s a remarkable phenomenon, and it wouldn’t hurt to give the youngling every advantage possible. But the _most important_ thing is for him to stay hydrated. This bacteria makes the stomach very sensitive, and that’s were the greatest risk lies, especially for such a small being.”

Keelo was still unhappy, but he nodded in understanding at the doctor. “I’ll see what I can find. You’ll be back to check up on him regularly?”

“Yes. And I don’t think I need to remind you, but the turus infection is _very_ contagious in the early stages, so if the other human you have has the same weakened immune system, you need to make sure he’s away from anything that could possibly be contaminated, included yourself and Noxu.”

“Yes I know, I had Noxu take Sahi out of the room as soon as I realized Deera may have the infection, and had zim disinfect both zimself and Sahi.”

“Good,” the doctor said, packing up the few supplies she’d used. “Keep a close eye on him. Normally, turus wouldn’t be a danger, but in his case…” she shook her head sadly. “Just…be alert. This will be a rough few weeks for the poor little thing. I’m going to give the other human some vaccinations, so hopefully if she is exposed to any other sicknesses, she’ll be able to fight them off a little better.”

“Will you give those to Deera as well?”

“Only after he’s healed. We don’t want to overwhelm his system any more than it already is.”

Keelo thanked the doctor as she left, and went back to sponging the cool water over Deera. The baby still hadn’t moved much, and if it were for the sounds of his labored breathing, Keelo would wonder if he was even _alive_.

Blinking back tears, Keelo started to rediaper Deera. Without dressing the youngling, Keelo picked him up, cradling him carefully in his arms, and picked up a bottle he had warming on the counter. He’d have to call around for other possible milk donors soon, and they should probably get Sahi started on breast milk as well. At this point, they couldn’t be too cautious.

Keelo sat down with Deera, and coaxed the bottle in the baby’s mouth. There was an initial, automatic suckle from Deera, but he didn’t swallow, and the milk just spilled out the sides of his mouth. Concerned, Keelo wiggled the bottle, trying to entice the youngling to latch on and start eating. But…Deera wouldn’t.

The feeling of dread in Keelo’s heart grew heavier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for 500 kudos :D


	15. Shots

Sam didn’t know how long it went on for, but he didn’t think he’d quit screaming until he’d passed out. He woken up, still in Noxu’s arms as the creature rocked him in a rocking chair. Noxu was singing over him, fingers brushing his face and hair, and Sam felt that he was still only wrapped in a towel and a diaper.

Noxu was holding him firmly around the waist, and Sam’s stomach sunk when he remembered Dean who was...sick? What had he gotten sick from? Sam groaned, trying to ignore how his heart beat sped up in his chest.

Noxu picked Sam up a bit higher, cradling him to its chest in an attempt to comfort him, but Sam turned away as much as he could.

An unfamiliar voice startled Sam, and he tried to twist his head around to look at whoever else was in the room, but Noxu’s hand moved up slightly, pressing his head gently but firmly into it’s shoulder. At the same time, Sam felt the towel being taken off of him, and his diaper was pulled down just past his cheeks. Sam tensed up immediately as an unseen hand was placed on his bottom, and Noxu held him even tighter, making hushing noises.

There was sharp pinch, and it startled Sam into giving a yelp, he managed to duck his head enough that he could turn it a bit, and he saw three different syringes sitting on a metal tray, and a fourth, empty syringe being put down.

Sam stopped struggling, now at least knowing what to expect. They were giving him shots…of medicine, or what, he didn’t know. Nor did he really care. Sam went limp, and just let the other creature give him the next shot, and knowing to expect it, he didn’t react to the second stinging pinch, or to the third or fourth.

Sam felt his diaper be pulled back up, and Noxu started rubbing the spot where the shots had been given to him, cooing and attempting to hug him. But Sam wasn’t in the mood to humor Noxu anymore.

He pushed against Noxu, trying to make the creature let up, and continually fought to distance himself as much as he could on the creature’s lap. He was mad. He was angry and scared for Dean, and he had no idea what to do about it. He didn’t want to be coddled and petted, he wanted his brother, and he wanted to go home.

Eventually Noxu seemed to take the hint. Sam was picked up, and set down into a playpen filled with books and toys, and Noxu trailed a lingering hand over Sam’s head.

Left alone, Sam finally allowed himself to breath. _Breathe._ Getting upset won’t fix anything…won’t fix whatever’s wrong with Dean. For the millionth time, Sam prayed to Castiel. He had no idea whether or not the angel could hear him through dimensions… but he was desperate.

His eyes were burning, the need to cry so strong he almost couldn’t ignore it. But he shoved the feeling viciously away. He had to figure this out himself.

Looking around the playpen, Sam saw the books stacked on top of each other. Grabbing them, he started flipping through them, scanning the pictures for anything that he could use to communicate.

 

Noxu was having a hard time keeping it together. With Deera’s life in danger, and Sahi so visibly unhappy, zee felt like he’d utterly failed the two creatures zee’d come to care for more than he ever thought possible.

Sahi’s reaction to the doctor was even more upsetting. Normally a sevit youngling getting shots would struggle and cry, not able to understand why there was pain, and that in of itself was rumored by parents to be heartbreaking. Noxu had been fully prepared for Sahi to burst into tears, to struggle and throw a tantrum, like the minor one she’d had out in the hallway. No parent wanted to see their own child in pain, no sevit wanted to see _any_ child in pain, so Noxu had been bracing zimself to handle Sahi’s distress. Only… Sahi didn’t start crying. She didn’t curl up into zis comforting arms.

Instead, Sahi had felt the first needle, and completely shut down. She hadn’t struggled, she hadn’t cried. Aside from the smallest noise she’d made at the first, instead of having _any_ of the usual reactions for a youngling, Sahi had tensed up, and accepted it as the process was repeated three more times, and she’d drawn away from any attempts from Noxu to comfort her.

It was so much worse than if she’d just cried.

The doctor packed her bag as Noxu set Sahi down, realizing that the youngling wanted nothing to do with zim at the moment. The doctor looked heavily at Sahi, before leveling a worried look at Noxu.

“If I’d had a parent bring in their youngling, and they’d responded like _that_ ,” the doctor said, her voice hushed. “I’d think the parents were abusing them.”

Noxu’s throat closed, and zee felt zis eyes start to water. “I…I know.”

The doctor looked back at the youngling. “What in Kizarain happened to that child, Noxu?”

“Keelo thinks their previous caretakers were abusive, or at least neglectful,” Noxu said. “We can’t…we have no way to prove it. But I agree with him. Sahi and Deera both don’t act like younglings of any species should act. Its taken us so long to gain any amount of trust from them. And I’m afraid I’ve lost any trust that I gained. Thought I wonder if I even deserve trust after all this.”

The doctor put a hand on Noxu’s shoulder comfortingly. “You and Keelo are doing the best you can. You both care about the human younglings, that much is obvious. There’s no use in wallowing in guilt over what’s in the past. You need to focus on making them better. _Both_ of them. Deera will overcome this illness and be stronger for it, and Sahi will learn to see how much you both care for her.” The doctor’s hand fell away, and she started towards the door. “Give me a call if either of you have any concerns.”

With that Noxu was alone in the sanitary room where they’d keep Sahi until Deera was no longer contagious. Looking at Sahi through tear filled eyes, Noxu sat down. The youngling was flipping through the pages of the books zee’d left for her, her expression serious and cold as stone. Noxu buried zis face in zis hands, and sent a prayer to the heavens that he’d be able to help this poor child.


	16. Weak

A week past, agonizingly slow.

Deera was still fever ridden, but it wasn’t as alarmingly high. But the infection seemed to only be getting worse. Deera was hardly ever conscious, and when he was, he was coughing and so out of it, that Keelo didn’t know if Deera even realized that he and Noxu were there. The turus bacteria had begun affecting the youngling’s lungs on the second day, turning every breath into a weez. The doctor had brought in a special bed, a special sort of incubator that would monitor Deera’s fever and breathing, and adjust temperature levels and air humidity to try and help him. A ventilator had also been attached beneath his nose to provide him with enough oxygen. It helped, a _lot_. But the cough wasn’t the biggest of Keelo’s worries.

Getting Deera to eat was a constant struggle. Sometimes it took _hours_ of Keelo rocking the baby, wiggling the bottle in his mouth, and gently massaging the baby’s throat to coax him into suckling _half_ of one bottle. Deera’s sucking reflex would start for a few minutes at a time before Keelo would have to start coaxing again. And even after all the effort Keelo put into the feedings, Deera wasn’t eating enough.

The Keelo was checking his vitals every day, and Deera had started to lose weight that he couldn’t afford to lose. Already too skinny, Deera’s few and limited fat reserves were dwindling. Keelo was already using the smallest diapers they made for sevit younglings for Deera, but now even they seemed to swamp him. The other indication of how bad off Deera was made itself known in Deera’s diapers themselves. He had significantly fewer wet diapers than he’d had so far, a sure sign of dehydration. And as the days past, Deera continued to eat less and less, worsening his condition and making the terror in Keelo grow.

He’d told the doctor of Dean’s eating troubles on the first day, and she had told Keelo that the best thing was to keep encouraging Deera to eat on his own. If he wouldn’t eat, then they would have to move to a feeding tube…but that was _really_ the last option. Deera was too small for a traditional feeding tube down his throat, the tubing would stretch his throat too far, and it would likely obstruct his already labored breathing. The other way, which was how most sevit babies who needed feeding tubes used them, was by surgically inserting a tube directly into the youngling’s stomach. But that option had just as much risk, if not more, than a traditional feeding tube.

Deera still hadn’t been able to receive any vaccinations. If they opened Deera’s flesh, they would risk infection, which Deera’s body was too weak to handle. Not to mention how much could go wrong with the anesthesia, or if the baby lost too much blood. The doctor explained all this to Keelo, and he understood. If they got to the point where Deera needed a feeding tube to keep living, the chances of him surviving the tururs – _turus, of all things! –_ were very low.

So they _had_ to make Deera eat.

They just had to.

Keelo and Noxu alternated between caring for Deera and Sahi, being sure to disinfect themselves thoroughly to keep Deera from getting sicker, and Sahi from catching the turus herself. And Deera wasn’t the only one who was doing poorly.

Sahi had developed a slight fever after receiving her vaccinations. Keelo had nearly panicked when he took Sahi’s temperature, and saw that it was too high. But the doctor checked Sahi over, and assured both him and Keelo that this was a normal reaction to vaccines, and that Sahi’s body was just working to increase her immune response.

Still, Keelo had started Sahi on breast milk, just to ensure that she was getting ample nutrients and was staying hydrated. But beyond the fever, it was like Sahi’s personality had completely changed overnight.

Gone was the curious child from before, Sahi was constantly pensive and withdrawn, struggling violently against Noxu and Keelo, and even the doctor, any time they tried to hold her. They’d even had to start using the restraining belt on the changing table again when changing her diapers, because Sahi refused to sit still.

It was heartbreaking to see how distressed the youngling was without the other human, and Keelo knew that Noxu was beating zimself up with guilt.

What was more, the only time Sahi had actually interacted with them was the first few days after Deera had gotten sick. Sahi, who had been looking through every book they had bought for her, had yelled out Noxu’s name to grab zis attention. Sahi had held up the book and was pointing to an illustration of a baby being put to sleep. She’d started repeating a sound, deliberately over and over as she pointed to the book, Noxu had described it as a “dee” sort of sound. And finally, she’d said Deera’s name. Noxu had been taken off guard, and Sahi had kept repeating “Deera,” over and over as she jabbed angrily at the picture of the baby in the book. Noxu had tried to explain to Sahi that they couldn’t let her see Deera, but the youngling couldn’t understand zis words. They couldn’t explain to her what was going on, and they couldn’t distract her from missing Deera. Sahi had gotten so frustrated that she’d torn the book in half. Now every time he and Noxu entered her room, all she would say to them was Deera’s name, and it was heartbreaking.

They’d talked at length about what to do for her. Should they let her see Deera? Or would seeing how sick he’d become only upset her more? Regardless, they couldn’t allow Sahi in the same room as Deera until the turus was no longer contagious, and Keelo was hoping that today would be the day that the doctor would tell Keelo just that.

The doctor was listened to Deera’s lungs and heart, checked his temperature, and his weight, and then swabbed a bit of his saliva to test it in the solution again. This time, instead of turning blue, the solution turned yellow, and the doctor turned to Keelo. “The good news is, he’s no longer contagious. I would move him to a sterile room and have this one disinfected if you plan on bringing either of the humans back to minimize the risk of reinfection. But… Keelo he’s underweight.”

Keelo felt his heart speed up. “Does that mean…will he need the feeding tube?”

The doctor shook her head. “Not yet. There’s still a chance he won’t need it. The turus shouldn’t get any worse, he’s over the hump, so to speak. But he _must_ keep eating. If he loses much more weight, he’ll be too tiny to administer the anesthesia safely.”

Keelo nodded, feeling heavy but also a dangerous spark of hope. “What else should I do for him?”

“His breathing has evened out, I think by tonight if he hasn’t had a coughing fit, we can take him off the ventilator. The incubator isn’t necessary either, but it won’t hurt him to spend a bit more time under it. Just keep trying to feed him every hour, and keep track of how much he drinks. I had a patient come in yesterday who’s child had a cough from turus, and zee agreed to donate milk when I explained the situation. I had Noxu store it, but you should start using it immediately, it has extra antibodies and fats that will help him tremendously.”

Keelo wrote down a few more instructions from the doctor, and thanked her for her help as she left. Looking down at Deera, Keelo couldn’t help but feel a bit choked up.

The baby looked so fragile with, the ventilator’s tubing and the way his skin still hadn’t regained that pinkish hue. Keelo brushed his fingers gently over the side of Deera’s face and head, and almost smiled when the baby’s head tilted into his touch. But still Deera was mostly unresponsive, and even though he’d received a lot of good news from the doctor, Deera wasn’t out of danger yet. He just hoped that the receding infection would bring back Deera’s appetite…

 

Sam was finding it harder and harder to hold it together. He hadn’t seen any sign of Dean for at least a week. He had no idea if his brother was safe or in danger, and it was driving him mad.

He guessed that Dean must be alive, because he never saw both Noxu and Vava together. One was always absent, and Sam took that to mean that the other was caring for Dean. At least…he hoped that’s what it meant.

Sam lay on his back on the floor of the playpen, staring up at the ceiling. He was alone in the room, for the moment. Noxu had been in here earlier, but had left not too long ago. It didn’t make a difference to Sam whether Noxu was here or not.

He’d tried so hard to get Noxu to take him to Dean… he’d found a picture of one of the creatures as a baby, knowing that they thought Dean was one, and tried desperately to tell them what he wanted. He even used the name that he suspected Noxu and Vava were using for Dean, since they didn’t seem to respond to “Dean,”only “Deera.”

And Sam _knew_ that they understood him! He saw how shocked Noxu looked when he said Deera, and every time he repeated it, both Noxu and Vava looked uncomfortable. But they refused to let him see his brother.

So Sam had tried everything in his power to make it clear, he wasn’t going to cooperate with them until he could see his brother.

Whenever they walked into the room, Sam would look them straight in the eye and demand for “Deera.” When the ultimately tried to distract him with a bottle (which now was sometimes filled with that chocolate milk stuff they’d been giving Dean) or something else, he would refuse to interact with them. He was spending a lot of time brooding, and Sam knew that’s what he was doing. But… he didn’t know what else to do.

He wasn’t about to humor these creatures, not when they were keeping his brother, who was _in danger_ , away from him. But he also couldn’t escape from them to find Dean himself. This dimension was just…too big for him. It made him feel helpless and weak… and knowing that Dean was in trouble, and all he could do was to sit in a playpen was really taking its toll on him.

Sam heard the door open, and he turned his head, calling out for “Deera!” when he saw not just Noxu, but Vava too.

Sam’s heart froze. What did it mean that both of them were here? Where was Dean?

Sam didn’t know what to do as Noxu came and picked him up. Vava held open the door as Noxu carried Sam out into the hallway and towards a door that they hadn’t ever been through. Sam was starting to panic. What if something had happened to Dean? What if his brother was gone, and he hadn’t done a _damn thing_.

They went through the new door, and Sam couldn’t help the gasp that came out of his mouth.

Noxu carried Sam over towards a sort of clear box with a hood so that he could see inside. Dean was lying there, his ribs countable, his skin still sickly gray, and tubes around his face. Sam was finding it hard to breath.

Noxu was holding Sam close enough that he could reach out and touch the wall of the box. Dean was breathing, that much he could tell by the way his chest rose and fell. “Dean…?” Sam called hesitantly. But his brother didn’t move.

“Dean?” Sam tried again, his voice a bit louder, but Dean still didn’t respond.

What had happened? Why was Dean like this? Oh god…what was happening to his brother?

Sam felt tears welling up in his eyes, but this time he couldn’t stop them. Seeing Dean looking so broken, and Sam didn’t know how to help him, they spilled over. Sam was afraid that Noxu would try and take him away in an attempt to “comfort” him, but to his immense relief Noxu didn’t move, so that Sam could still be close to Dean.

It was both relieving and terrifying to see Dean. His brother was alive, he had solid confirmation of that now. But he wasn’t well, and Sam didn’t know what was wrong, and he had no way of knowing what was wrong. More than ever, Sam wished that he knew these creatures’ language. If he did, then this wouldn’t be so hard.


	17. Latch

A full day after they’d first allowed Sahi to see Deera, the older youngling was doing much better. She seemed sad, that much was certain, but she was no longer lifeless and despondent. She’d been brought in to see Deera twice. The first time, they hadn’t allowed her closer than the outside of the incubator, mostly for Deera’s safety, but the second time Noxu brought Sahi in, they put Sahi into the crib with Deera, standing close by in case anything went wrong.

Deera had been taken off the ventilator by that point and was breathing on his own just fine. He was still slightly fevered, but he was still unresponsive, and hadn’t opened his eyes in a long while.

Sahi had been so gentle with the baby. Once in the crib with him, she’d sat crossed legged, and slowly moved Deera’s head until it was in her lap. Deera curled into her slightly, and Sahi spent the entire time rubbing his head and feeling his forehead, as if she could tell that he was too warm still.

Sahi hadn’t been happy to leave Deera. When Noxu pulled her away, Sahi made sounds of protests, and made her displeasure known with a glare. But it was getting very late in the day, and Sahi needed to be put to sleep, away from Deera so that she would actually rest.

Sahi wasn’t back to her old self by any means, but she was getting better. But Deera was not.

A full day… and Deera hadn’t eaten _anything_.

Keelo was nearly constantly trying to get Deera to drink his bottle. He tried wiggling the nipple, he tried massaging the baby’s throat. He even tried dabbing the milk onto Deera’s lips and tongue, trying to get him to swallow _something_ , but he would not.

He was even more lethargic as well, which Keelo didn’t even think was possible. Deera never opened his eyes or made any sound. His head lolled if Keelo didn’t support it, and the only movements he made were to turn his head away from the nipple of the bottle that Keelo had pressed to his lips.

It was frustrating to no end. Keelo hadn’t slept, he couldn’t sleep until Deera ate something, but the baby refused to latch and drink over and over, no mater how long Keelo sat and maneuvered the bottle.

It was well into the middle of the night now. The lab was closed, and Keelo knew that he and Noxu were the only ones here, watching over Sahi and Deera. Noxu would probably be asleep in the room with Sahi, incase something happened. But Keelo had to stay awake… he couldn’t take his eyes off Deera for a moment. Not until Deera _drank_.

“Come on now, my sweet Deera,” Keelo pleaded. He had Deera cradled in one arm and the bottle pressed into Deera’s mouth. He moved the bottle around desperately trying to get Deera to latch, but the baby wasn’t even moving away from the bottle now. Keelo felt his fear building, and he could feel himself getting upset. There were tears burning behind his eyes as the youngling continued to lie there unresponsively. “Please…Deera, precious one, you _must eat_ , you’ll die if you don’t. Oh Kizarian, _please…”_

Tears started rolling down Keelo’s face, and with a sunken feeling, Keelo pulled the bottle away and started to stroke Deera’s face. Keelo couldn’t force Deera to eat, and it killed him. He just wanted to care for the youngling, make him healthy and happy, provide him with love and support, but he couldn’t even keep the child healthy.

Keelo stood with Deera, holding him tightly in his arms and began placing him down in the crib. The baby lay where Keelo sat him and didn’t move, and Keelo stood over the crib, his hands gripping the tops of the bars until his hands trembled, tears still rolling freely.

“Please… help me save this child…” Keelo whispered brokenly aloud. He bowed his head as he shook with silent tears. He could feel them, wet on his face and all along the front of his shirt…

Suddenly Keelo paused. Why did his shirt feel so wet? He hadn’t been crying long enough to have caused the robe to become so soaked, had he? Keelo straightened a bit, his hands still shaky, and looked down at the robes covering his torso. There were two large wet patches running identical towers down the front of his shirt. Keelo started.

Slowly, Keelo peeled open the shirt, suddenly very aware of how sensitive his chest had become, and breathed in sharply.

His mammary glands… the two nipples on his chest were swollen and enlarged, and they were _leaking_.

Keelo almost couldn’t believe his eyes. Was he.. was he lactating?

Keeping a close eye on Deera, Keelo collected a sample of the liquid dripping from his chest, and put it into a machine that would break down the substance and identify all its components.

Keelo waited anxiously for the machine to do its work, his mind racing. He was possibly lactating – _probably_ lactating! Of course Keelo knew it was possible for a male sevit to lactate, it just wasn’t common. Typically, the sevit that gave birth to the youngling would lactate, so only zeemales and females. Male sevit had all the functioning parts to lactate, but they were typically dormant until forced out by manipulation. Keelo had never heard of a male starting to lactate unprompted. Had his body sensed that a youngling needed milk, and started to produce it? It was mind blowing, and exciting, and Keelo didn’t know what to think!

Finally the machine finished its analysis. Keelo was definitely producing breast milk, and what was more, it was extremely high in antibodies and fats. Just like the doctor described, his body had responded to having a sick child, and started producing milk to make him healthy again. He didn’t have to rely on milk donations anymore, they could pump his own milk and feed it to Deera, his body would respond to make milk that would suit Deera’s individual needs!

Keelo wanted to laugh in incredulity, but quickly the feeling was crushed as he remembered…it didn’t matter, because Deera still wouldn't take a bottle.

Keelo stood over Deera’s crib again, his chest feeling tight with his anxiousness. How was he going to get Deera to eat? He didn’t even know _why_ the youngling was refusing to latch. Deera had been a picky eater ever since arriving here. That was why they’d switched him to breast milk in the first place, because he wouldn’t usually take a full bottle.

Suddenly, Keelo had an thought. What if the problem wasn’t that Deera wasn’t hungry, what if it was the method that they’d been feeding him? It was known among many sevit that some younglings didn’t drink from bottles well. Keelo’s own niece had all but refused to bottle feed, she would only eat from her mother, until she moved on to toddler food.

Keelo couldn’t help but wonder… would Deera eat if he tried to breastfeed him?

The thought filled Keelo with a mixture of nerves, excitement, and worry. He didn’t really know the answer, and he really wished that he weren’t the only one awake right now. But… what if this was the solution? Well… it was worth a shot…

Keelo bent slowly over the crib and scooped Deera back up into his arms, taking him over to the rocking chair and positioning Deera in his arms so that the baby’s mouth was inches away from his swollen breasts. Keelo’s heart beat nervously. He knew how breast feeding worked in _theory_ , but what if he did something wrong? Could it hurt Deera?

Keelo shook that thought from his mind. No… this could be good for Deera, this might get him to start eating again, but Keelo was still nervous.

Keelo had never reclosed his shirt, leaving his leaking teat exposed to the air. Slowly, Keelo starting pulling Deera closer to his breast, until he could feel the baby’s slightly parted lips on his skin.

Deera’s breath was warm on his skin, and the combination of the cool air and Deera’s breath made the nipple harden. But Deera didn’t latch.

Not yet discouraged, Keelo used his thumb to part Deera’s mouth a bit further, making room for his teat, and slipped it inside.

It felt so odd, to be surrounded by the wet and warmth of Deera’s mouth, but Keelo didn’t have time to adjust to the feeling, as Deera gave an automatic suck, and Keelo gasped at the feeling of milk being pulled from his body. And, miraculously, Deera swallowed, a bit of the milk actually making it down his throat, and the rest spilling out of his mouth.

Keelo’s heart leapt in hope. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start! He used the blanket wrapped around Deera to clean the sides of the baby’s mouth, and very gently, he squeezed the baby’s cheeks, like he’d seen his sister do when she was nursing his niece. By squeezing his cheeks, Keelo was also applying pressure to his breast, causing a bit of the milk to squirt into Deera’s mouth. And to Keelo’s amazement, Deera swallowed… _all of it._ But it didn’t stop there.

It was like that first swallow had prompted Deera into action, because the baby’s mouth started working around his teat, and soon Deera was sucking, and swallowing, _eating!_ Deera had actually latched!

Keelo felt relief flooding him as Deera continued to drink from him. It was an odd feeling, not exactly pleasant, but Keelo was so elated that Deera was eating, that he didn’t mind the feeling one tiny bit. He was moving slowly, but Deera was suckling from him, drinking down the rich, fatty milk he so desperately needed…and it was _Keelo_ providing him with it.

Keelo felt himself tear up again as warmth spread through his body like he couldn’t believe. He was feeding Deera…and Deera was eating so well. In that moment, with the human baby cradled up to him and suckling on his chest, Keelo knew that Deera was going to be all right. He would make sure of it.


	18. Milk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you said that breast feeding wasn't your thing, and that's okay. But I wanted to warn you that this chapter is HEAVY on the breast feeding aspect, getting Dean's point of view on it. 
> 
> After this chapter, it's mostly only going to be mentioned maybe in passing. But here's a heads up if you don't want to read this chapter. So...
> 
> WARNING: BREAST FEEDING

Dean felt like shit, to put it mildly.

His stomach hurt, his head hurt, the light hurt, _everything_ hurt. He was too exhausted to do anything either. He’d known something was wrong after they’d gone to that stupid daycare. When he’d been put to bed, Dean could feel it deep within his body, he was getting sick. He just didn’t get _how_ sick.

It was hard to remember much after that. He had a few hazy memories, mostly of feelings. He remembered the feeling of swaying and of being held. A lot of annoying prodding at his mouth.

Nothing was clear, except that his body felt like it was being trampled, boiled, frozen, and stuck with pins and needles. In some part of his hazy mind, Dean knew that he needed to get up. He was starving, and he had to wake himself up if he was going to fight whatever was making him feel so terrible. But it was easier said than done.

Consciousness seemed to fall farther and farther away from him, and Dean couldn’t think, much less do anything else. All he could do was sleep.

Everything was dark, everything was cold and painful, and every part of Dean was screaming at him to just sink down into the freezing cold until nothing bothered him anymore.

Somewhere in the haze, Dean felt something in his mouth. Dean tried to turn away, but he had no strength. There was a small feeling of pressure, and something warm and flavorful spilled into his mouth, and Dean felt himself swallow automatically.

It was like fire inside him, searing heat that burned so good, and Dean couldn’t help but crave more. He mustered up the strength to drink again, only realizing how parched he felt when the sweet liquid was rushing blissfully down his throat. Dean continued to drink until the warmth in his belly spread throughout his body. This time, when Dean felt the darkness coming forwards again, it didn’t swallow him, but gently tugged him down into welcome sleep.

 

His body was drinking again.

He wasn’t really conscious, though he was slowly becoming more aware, but Dean recognized that he was being fed again. His body craved the feeling of warmth he’d gotten from before, so Dean drank in earnest, almost feeling the strength returning to him in tiny bits with every swallow.

The longer he drank, the more sensations Dean started to notice. He could feel strong arms around him, a gentle rhythmic swaying and the occasional scratch of fingers through his hair. Dean figured they must be bottle feeding him again. He might have been annoyed if the milk-like substance wasn’t so satisfying to his aching hunger. But even in the state he was in, barely able to notice the world around him, Dean could feel that something was different.

Dean’s drinking slowed as he tried to concentrate on opening his eyes. It took so much of an effort, but finally Dean managed to crack his eyes open, only to be greeted by such blurry vision that he couldn’t make anything out.

Dean blinked, trying to clear his line of sight, and he started to make out the hazy shape of a silver skinned face above him. He felt more than he heard the roll of the creature’s voice, rumbling all around him where he was pressed against it’s chest. Another blink and Dean was able to recognize the one Sam had called Vava, staring back at him.

Dean stopped sucking, starting to feel very confused. His vision still wasn’t very clear, but he couldn’t see the bottle anywhere. He let go of the nipple, turning his head away as far as he could, despite the protest he could feel in his stomach. Vava’s voice rumbled around him again, and Dean felt a cloth wiping his mouth clean from his own spit and probably milk. Then he was being moved slightly, and Dean could see that Vava was adjusting the fabric of his shirt.

That was when it hit him. Dean couldn’t see the bottle because there hadn’t been one.

Oh. My. _God._

Dean could _feel_ the blood rushing to his face, mortification and embarrassment sweeping down his body and adding to the awfulness he felt from being sick, and to his horror, Dean felt tears welling up in his eyes.

Dean was drawn up closer to Vava, the creature holding him even tighter and starting to rock again as Dean felt his breath catch in his throat. He couldn’t help it. He felt completely helpless. Despite the milk he’d drank that was easing the pain of hunger in his belly, his body was still demanding more. But Dean couldn’t do anything about it.   
He screwed his eyes shut again, unable to look at the creature who was literally holding his life in it’s hands. Dean didn’t cry, he didn’t have enough energy. But he felt a few tears race down the side of his face, dripping off into his hair, and one of Vava’s giant fingers wiped away the evidence with more gentleness then Dean could ever remember being shown towards him.

Despite everything else, the stress of being in an unfamiliar world, the fierce independency that had been ingrained into him since childhood, the embarrassment and fear of being as helpless as a real infant, there was something comforting about the warm embrace of the creature surrounding him. Dean found himself curling into Vava without his instruction as sleep came over him once again.

 

The next few times that Dean was able to grab ahold of consciousness were the same. He was being fed…without a…oh who was he trying to kid. He was being _breastfed._ The second time he’d stopped drinking the moment he was awake, just like the first time. But the seemingly insatiable hunger in his stomach was so persistent, that the next time he woke, Dean did his best to swallow back his embarrassment, screwed his eyes tightly shut, and kept drinking.

He was still mortified, but after he’d finally gotten his fill, he felt physically so much better, that the embarrassment was worth it. Still, Dean had no idea how much time had passed since he’d gotten sick, or even how long it was between his conscious periods.

Finally, Dean woke up not being held and fed, and he actually felt more awake than ever. Blinking his eyes sleepily, Dean saw that he was lying in the crib-bed, for once without the giant stuffed toy, and the blankets only loosely tucked around him instead of swaddling him. He pushed himself up a bit onto his elbows and brought his hand up to rub sleepily at his eyes, only to hit his hand against something plastic on his face.

Bewildered, Dean pulled it from his mouth to see a pacifier, one that he only just realized he’d been sucking on in his sleep. Dean flicked it uncaringly away from himself, just about ready to lay back down and go back to sleep, when he realized what woke him.

He’d used his diaper, and it was now full, cold, and uncomfortable. With a groan Dean pushed himself up a bit more. He’d never really dealt with his diapers feeling _this_ uncomfortable before. Vava or Noxu had always changed him really quickly after having used it, so Dean was feeling really ready to have this thing _off_ of him. Not that he wanted to get a diaper change, they were still as mortifying as they had been in the beginning. But if the alternative was _this_ feeling, he’d take the embarrassing diaper change any day.

Dean looked out and around, wondering where Noxu or Vava were. Just across the room from the crib, Dean saw Vava, head resting on his arm, clearly asleep in a chair.

With a huff, Dean started to push himself up. He was startled and unnerved at how difficult it was, his arms wobbling with just the effort it was taking to push himself onto his hands and knees. It’d been so long since he’d been free to move about at all, that Dean guessed he shouldn’t be surprised. Still, it took monumental effort to pull himself up, even using the bars of the crib as support.

Dean held onto the bars, knowing that if he let go, he wouldn’t be able to stand. Dean wanted to get Vava’s attention, so he did the only thing he knew to do.

“VAVA!” Dean yelled, as loud as he could manage.

The creature startled, jerking awake and looking around the room in confusion. Dean almost wanted to laugh.

“Vava!” he called again, and Vava’s eyes snapped to him, looking wide. Dean let go of the bars with one of his hands to beckon the creature closer, but letting go of the bars was a mistake.

Dean couldn’t hold himself up anymore, and he fell down onto his bottom, his diaper squishing beneath him making him blush again.

But Vava was coming over to the crib, and Dean looked up as it stood over him. There was a look that almost resembled awe on Vava’s face. Huffing impatiently, Dean thrust his arms up to indicate that he wanted Vava to pick him up. With a growing smile, Vava thankfully complied, lifting Dean out of the crib. The creature seemed to notice right away what Dean’s problem was – _thank god –_ because Vava cooed and immediately began walking over to a changing table.

For once, Dean didn’t struggle against Vava’s attempts to change him, though he was still immensely unhappy at the whole process. The strap was still buckled around his chest, and Dean felt Vava pop something into his mouth just before beginning to remove his diaper.

It took Dean a second to realize that it was the pacifier again, but for some reason he didn’t spit it out. The pacifier was actually a welcome distraction from what Vava was doing to clean him up, so instead, Dean gave the pacifier and experimentory suck, and found to his surprise that the sensation wasn’t all that unpleasant.

Dean ignored Vava’s cooing voice during the diaper change, trying not to pay attention to the cold of the wet wipes. But Dean _should_ have been paying attention, because he might have been more prepared when Vava lifted up Dean’s legs, pushing them towards his chest, and stuck something _straight into his bottom._

Dean yelped, the pacifier falling from his lips as he tried unsuccessfully to jerk away from Vava, but the creature just hushed him and held him still.

Vava pushed the pacifier back into Dean’s mouth, and he clamped down on it as he squirmed as much as he could, wishing away the cold little intrusion!

Dean heard a soft “beep,” and Vava took the cold rod out, reading something on the side, and Dean realized that he’d just had his temperature taken.

Dean glared at Vava as the creature resumed changing his diaper, powdering his bottom and closing him up into the crinkling fabric. But his murderous stare only caused a laugh from the creature.

With a fresh diaper and his onesie closed, Vava picked Dean up and started carrying him over to the rocking chair. Cradling Dean in one arm, Vava started to remove his shirt, and Dean blushed as he realized that Vava was about to try and feed him. Dean’s blush deepened when his stomach growled hungrily.

Dean stared at Vava’s chest with wide eyes, his embarrassment and hunger warring with each other. But really…what was he supposed to do? He still felt practically weak with hunger, and he didn’t exactly know how to ask for a cheeseburger!

Vava tugged the pacifier from Dean’s mouth, and then started to pull Dean closer, decreasing the space between them until Dean’s mouth was right next to Vava’s teat. Dean looked up, his heart beating fast, only to find Vava staring back at him, eyes full of encouragement and…love?

Dean couldn’t think about it. He didn’t _want_ to think about it. His stomach growled again, louder this time, and with an accompanying pang. Dean closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

The milk was warm and good. He could feel it settling thick inside his belly, making his whole body heat up. Dean tried to think about other things, _anything_ besides the fact that he was drink milk from…

Sam. He wondered what was happening with Sam. Was he sick? Or was Dean the only one who’d gotten sick? And if he wasn’t sick, was he okay? Dean shifted in Vava’s arms, wondering with no small amount of anxiousness where the hell his little brother was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I got a bit scared to write after the last chapter, but I know that I can't please everyone. So hopefully, if this isn't your thing, then you can pick back up reading in the next chapter. But I wanted to include it because I'm writing a story that includes the things I want to read!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, and sorry if this chapter isn't up your alley! I never planned on staying on this point for very long, so I hope you like the rest of the story at least


	19. Reunited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! thank you all for your encouragement! I just wanted to clarify, no one said anything really mean to me or anything! I got scared to post because, while I really want to write what I want to write, I also want to write stuff that you all like, because its more fun you both you and me when its stuff we all like! 
> 
> It is SO OKAY to not like something that I write, and you shouldn't have to feel like you can't express that. Especially since no one was mean about it. I still really appreciate everyone who's given this story a chance, even if you want to skip certain chapters or something! I don't want anyone to read something they don't want to read, or something that makes them uncomfy. 
> 
> Sorry if I'm rambling, I just wanted to explain myself better I guess. Anyway, thank you all so much for reading and giving me 700 kudos, I honestly can't believe it! You all are too kind to me. Sending lots of love to every one of you, and I hope you like this new chapter.
> 
> WARNING for a brief mention of breastfeeding, just a quick mention of Sam noticing it.

Dean was getting better. Sam could see it every time Noxu took him into the room where he presumed Vava was taking care of him. Before, Dean had looked emaciated, his skin graying, his face sallow and sunken. But now Dean’s skin was starting to pink up, and his face was filling out again, and Sam was so relieved that his brother was recovering.

Dean still wasn’t ever conscious whenever he was allowed to see him. Noxu brought him into the room to sit in Dean’s crib with him twice a day, and he’d only ever seen his brother’s eyes flutter once or twice. But now, Dean no longer had the tubes hooked up to his face, and he wasn’t being kept in that hooded box, which had to mean that Dean was healthier, and it was comforting to Sam to see Dean as if he was just sleeping normally.

Something else that Sam noticed was how they were feeding Dean. He’d been brought in when Vava was apparently finishing a feeding session, and Sam had been a little more than shocked. He suddenly remembered the milky substance that had replaced the fruit bottles for first Dean and then for himself, and though he was immensely embarrassed, he decided to just ignore it. As long as Dean was eating…that was all that mattered in the end.

It had only been a few days since Sam had first seen Dean again, but there was so much improvement, that Sam couldn’t help but feel grateful towards Noxu and Vava for getting his brother through everything.

Sam was also making an effort to be nicer to Noxu. He felt a little bad at how bratty he’d acted. He’d seen how stressed Noxu looked, especially when he’d continuously said “Deera” over and over, but when he didn’t know what was going on, all he’d cared about was getting to his brother. Now that he knew Dean was okay, he felt a little bad for the way he’d treated Noxu.

Sam knew that Noxu was only trying to take care of him. So he’d stopped shying away from the giant. He let Noxu hug and pet him, no longer struggling any time he was in Noxu’s arms. He even tried to smile a bit, even though he was still feeling very anxious about Dean.

They were such little changes in Sam’s mind, but they made a world of difference in Noxu. The creature seemed happier, and was starting to get more physically affectionate, which Sam wasn’t _too_ thrilled about, but he didn’t really want to hurt Noxu’s feelings any more than he already had. So he’d let Noxu start holding him more, even allowing himself to be rocked to sleep, settling into Noxu’s arms without struggling. And if he was being honest with himself, Sam didn’t really mind the attention.

The kind of life that he and Dean led, there wasn’t a lot of time for just being physically close to someone. It’d been that way for most of his life. When he’d been a kid, Dean was always there with a hug when he was scared, or even just a casual pat on the back, or a ruffling of his hair. Dad had never been too touchy, Dean said it was left over from when he’d been in the marines. So Dean had been his only consistent form of physical attention for most of his life.

Then there’d been Stanford, and he’d had Jess for a short while.

But after that, even on the road with Dean, there hadn’t been much touching. Anything physical between him and Dean had been reserved to fighting or hugs after or before near-death experiences. It hadn’t actually ever bothered Sam before. He was used to a lifestyle that didn’t really include much physical affection. But now he was receiving it in abundance, every single day from these giants who were intent on babying him. And though it was taking some getting used to, Sam couldn’t deny that it was actually…kind of nice. He would have thought that the constant petting and kissing and hugging would be _stifling_ , but instead, Sam found himself actually sinking into the strong embraces. And if that didn’t throw him for such a loop…

That was actually where Sam found himself at the moment, wrapped up in Noxu’s arms as he sat on the giant’s lap. Noxu had a book resting on top of Sam’s legs so that he could see the pictures, and was reading to him. Sam hadn’t been learning any knew words since Dean got sick, but now that he was at least getting to see Dean twice a day, and his brother was getting better, Sam figured he should probably try and start learning again.

He now knew these creature’s words for blanket – “ramma,” – food – “purmo,” – and “prican,” which meant something like “this” or maybe “what,” Sam knew that if he pointed at something and said “prican?” that Noxu would tell him the name of whatever it was.

It made learning new things much easier, but even so, Sam was limited by the things that he could point to, either in the books or in his immediate environment. Besides, the fact that Dean was still sick was still distracting, and Sam found himself less motivated to try and learn the new language when he wasn’t with his brother.

Noxu was reading to him, some kids book about an “autor” that was looking for something, Sam thought, but his heart just wasn’t in it at the moment. Finally, Noxu seemed to notice that Sam was zoned out, because the book was being put away, and Noxu was standing with Sam held tightly.

Sam perked up a bit when he saw they were walking towards the door, knowing that meant he was going to see Dean.

Vava opened the door to the other room, letting Sam and Noxu inside, and Noxu took Sam straight over to the crib where Dean had been sleeping. Only Dean wasn’t sleeping anymore. To Sam’s surprise, Dean was sitting up, propped against a giant stuffed toy, but his eyes were undoubtedly open.

Noxu sat Sam down inside the crib in front of his brother, and Dean smiled at him, as if he hadn’t been on death’s door for the past few weeks. “Heya Sammy.”

Sam was overcome with his emotions. He was so relieved to see Dean awake, and even though he still looked rough, Dean was _okay_. He felt unbidden tears well up in his eyes, and his breath hitched before he could try and say anything. Dean’s arms were instantly around him, pulling Sam over into a hug, and Sam wrapped his arms around Dean, holding his brother that he’d been afraid he’d never see again. It was such a relief, that Sam couldn’t even feel embarrassed at the tears dripping down his face. He’d been so afraid that he was going to lose Dean, and not be able to do anything about it.

Sam felt Dean’s hand come up to brush the back of his head, much like he’d done when they were younger. “Man, am I glad to see you’re okay,” Dean said, his voice rasping slightly.

Sam pulled away from Dean finally, an incredulous laugh escaping him. “ _Me?_ I’m not the one who’s been unconscious for nearly two weeks.”

Dean’s eyes widened. “Shit, is that how long I was out for?”

“Yeah man,” Sam said, brushing away the tears from his face impatiently. “You were feverish and unresponsive. Noxu and Vava have been keeping me in another room, probably because they were afraid I’d catch whatever you had. But when they let me back in here…just…you looked really terrible.”

“Yeah, well. I feel a lot better, I swear,” Dean said with a shrug. “I guess these gigantors really looked after me. I really owe them one.”

Sam nodded in agreement. Dean still looked a bit pale, and he was definitely thinner that he normally was. But Sam couldn’t help the gratitude he felt towards Vava for looking after Dean when he couldn’t. Even though he really wished he’d been able to at least know what was going on.

“So, have you made any front on figuring out how to talk with these guys?” Dean asked.

Sam, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed, looked away from Dean. “Ah. Well, not really. I mean…after you got sick, they wouldn’t let me near you, and I had no idea what was going one, so I was…more focused on getting to you than anything else…”

Dean’s laugh startled Sam. “So you mean you gave them hell, huh?”

Sam glared at Dean, without any real heat. “You would have been freaked out too!”

“Oh man,” Dean said, still laughing, his teasing smile reaching his eyes. “You did that when you were a little kid too. The first time you went to kindergarten, the teacher had to call Dad because you were so uncooperative, and they ended up getting _me_ from my classroom on the other side of the building because you wouldn’t calm down until I got there. For that whole first year of school, you were a holy terror unless you got to at least have lunch with me and the older kids every day!”

Sam had heard this story a million times, and it was always a bit embarrassing to hear how much of a brat he could be. But he and Dean were obviously close, and they always took care of each other, so it was kind of nice to remember that it had always been that way. Besides, Sam was so glad to have his brother awake and healing, that he laughed along with Dean, more than anything, just thankful that they were going to be okay.


	20. Giggles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a shorter chapter, but here's an update! thanks so much everyone :)

Noxu watched in fascination as Sahi and Deera reconnected finally. It was such a relief to have Deera awake and eating, and Noxu knew that it would bring Sahi’s spirit up so much to see her fellow human.

Sahi had been so depressed without Deera. At first she’d acted out a bit, mostly just being uncooperative and resisting any comfort zee tried to offer her. But for the last few days, since allowing Sahi to see Deera finally, the little human was back to being mostly compliant to bath times, diaper changes, and feeding times. But it was clear to Noxu and Keelo too that Sahi was down and miserable without Deera.

Keelo was looking after Deera, since Keelo was now the only one who could get Deera to eat, so Noxu had been taking care of Sahi the past few days since they were still waiting on Deera to get a bit stronger before letting them sleep in the same room again.

Noxu had seen Sahi’s sadness, and responded by heaping more affection on the youngling. There was no denying it, Sahi was very independent, and she never sought out affection or comfort from Noxu. But if Noxu persisted, Sahi would eventually relax into Noxu’s arms. Sevit younglings needed a lot of physical attention in their early stages, and even as adults sevitis were social creatures. Noxu knew that Sahi wasn’t necessarily the same as a sevit, but it was also true that humans were social creatures too, and Sahi _needed_ lots of affection, even if she didn’t necessarily want it. If she had been starved of it her whole life, then Noxu wanted to make up for lost time. So zee showered Sahi in hugs and kisses for any and every reason, brushing her beautiful hair with zis fingers, rubbing her back, cradling her close like a baby.

And Noxu saw how it lifted her spirits, even just a tiny bit. Sahi was still melancholy overall, but Noxu knew zee could pull a smile or an adorable giggle from the youngling with a few kisses.

Noxu wondered if the lack of physical affection in Sahi’s life thus far meant that she was incapable of seeking it out. It was possible, there were records of unfortunate cases of sevit younglings who experienced similar difficulties.

That was why it nearly caused Noxu to burst into tears when zee put Sahi down into the crib with Deera, and the two younglings embraced each other so fiercely.

Deera had initiated the hug, pulling Sahi over so that her head was resting on his shoulder, shocking both Noxu and Keelo. Because if Sahi was uncomfortable with physical affection, then Deera was downright hostile to it, at least until recently.

Keelo had been telling Noxu about Deera’s progress, both in healing and in terms of his relationship with Keelo.

Deera had said his first word… _Vava_ , but only one time where he’d called for Keelo a few times, and since then he hadn’t said another word nor called Keelo “Vava” again. Not for lack of Keelo trying. Noxu had walked into the room yesterday to see Keelo chanting “Va..va..Vava!” slowly over and over and an exasperated looking Deera, who just stuck his tongue out at Keelo, which had made Noxu burst into laughter.

Still, Deera was much more relaxed, even during diaper changes, which had always been a battle in of themselves with the wriggling youngling.

Noxu and Keelo both had thought that Deera was just even more opposed to physical affection than even Sahi. They had even theorized that Sahi had received loving care for at least some part of her childhood, while perhaps Deera had been born after the neglect started, or at least shortly before.

That was why it was so surprising to see Deera initiating a hug between them, and it was clearly Deera pulling Sahi into his arms.

“Deera is comforting Sahi…?” Noxu whispered to Keelo, afraid of disturbing the younglings’ reunion.

“He is…” Keelo said, wonder in his voice. “But look how much more relaxed he looks now too. I think its comforting to _him_ to have Sahi close to him.”

Noxu couldn’t help the smile and the few tears that started filling zis eyes. “For all the hardships they’ve gone through, they clearly love each other very much.”

“Sahi has shown how protective she is of Deera, but I think that Deera is just as protective of Sahi. They take care of each other, in their own ways.”

Noxu nodded, agreeing with Keelo completely. It warmed zis heart to see how much love filled such tiny creatures, and how much love _zee_ felt for them.

“Deera is looking much better, even from this morning,” Noxu said, still quietly as the younglings continued to hug in the crib.

“He’s started putting weight back on,” Keelo said. “Still not close to where he needs to be, but it’s a goods start, especially since his appetite seems to have kicked up. Also the wound in his side has completely healed now, the scab fell off naturally when I was changing the bandage this morning, so we can start letting him roam a bit once he regains a bit of strength. I thought I might reengage the bouncer to help him move his legs a bit without putting too much strain on them.”

“That’s good! And do you think we can start keeping them in the same room again?”

“I don’t think I’d have the heart to tear them apart again,” Keelo said, and just then Deera started to laugh and giggle, a sound so happy and free that neither of them had heard from the baby, even when tickling him.

They watched in wonder as Sahi started giggling too, and huge smiles spread across their faces, thrilled to see how happy the younglings were. Neither of them ever wanted this happiness to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep forgetting to include this, but if you want to you can follow me on my tumblr!
> 
> https://dawne-d-diely.tumblr.com/
> 
> I post ageplay and spn stuff mostly, but its a hot mess of a blog. Come say hi if you want!


	21. Dimension 5118202

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we get more of a glimpse into Sevitis society.

Life after Deera’s illness was nothing short of euphoric.

Deera was finally putting on weight, he was nearly back to his starting weight when Keelo and Noxu had first found him, and the baby was so much more relaxed than he had been thus far. Sahi was no longer sad, the youngling had been bright eyed and smiling ever since Deera woke up, and she was back to her old curious self.

Keelo was thrilled at it all. He had two happy babies. Well, _mostly_ happy. Deera was still a bit of a grump, but his pouting was adorable, and Keelo didn’t think it was because the baby didn’t like him and Noxu. Deera would relax into both of their holds whenever he was being fed or before bed, and he was no longer trying to fight to freedom whenever he was picked up to be carried someplace. No, Deera’s pouting seemed to come mostly from frustration when he couldn’t do things as well as Sahi.

For all that he was recovering, Deera’s body was still weak, and he had a hard time even sitting up by himself sometimes, when he wasn’t leaning against something.

Deera often tried standing up to follow Sahi whenever she crossed their playpen to get something, but the youngling just didn’t have the strength nor the coordination. Deera also seemed annoyed with how often he needed sleep, but really, it was all expected of a baby. Keelo had no doubt that once Deera was old enough to start walking, they’d have a hard time keeping up with him, and while he couldn’t wait for Deera to grow and start speaking more, Keelo couldn’t deny that he loved holding and carrying the youngling.

Keelo always heard from mothers how they wished they could relive the days when their younglings were so small, and Keelo thought he understood now. Even though he was in the days of infancy for Deera, he found himself already missing them when he thought to the future. Which felt silly! But it resolved Keelo’s determination to enjoy his baby boy and his sweet little girl while he had them. Because they _were_ his children.

It was even about to become officially legal. Noxu and Keelo were about to be the legal parents for Sahi and Deera. Keelo had been in contact with his bosses and the people who governed over them, and had explained the situation. To his delight, they agreed with Keelo that the best thing for the humans was to raise them themselves, and so the unorthodox papers were being drawn up to make Sahi and Deera legal citizens of the sevit society. Now they were just waiting for the papers to go through.

They were also expecting a visit from the doctor later in the day. Deera might be well enough to get his shots, if the doctor decided Deera was well enough.

Keelo sat with Noxu, smiling at the playpen where Sahi and Deera were. Sahi seemed to be trying to help Deera stand up, without much success. When they inevitably fell once again, Deera bringing Sahi tumbling down too, Deera flopped back onto his back with an irritated look on his face, and Sahi started laughing, patting Deera’s shoulder.

Keelo felt warm at the sight of them, and it was with a bit of regret that he turned back to the screen he was sitting at, strategically placed so that the younglings would be in his line of sight in the playpen, but he could also work.

It was the first time Keelo would be doing observations since finding the humans. The lab that employed both him and Noxu was the largest research institute in the world. It had several other lab locations, some dedicated to specific areas of research, but this place was the headquarters of sorts. Keelo and Noxu were part of the labs dedicated to observing alternate dimensions. Keelo was in charge of his own team, which included Noxu, but he had stepped back and allowed another person to take his place so he could dedicate his time to the humans in his care. They were learning so much about humans and their dimension from Sahi and Deera, Keelo and Noxu both had been keeping detailed recordings of them, but Keelo had always known that at one point or another, he’d be needed to help research again.

There were so many dimensions to observe and document, the sevitis had only uncovered a small amount of information of these different dimensions, and Keelo’s own curiosity made the work enjoyable and fulfilling. Now that Deera was feeling better and he and Sahi were spending more time playing together, Keelo and Noxu decided that they would start scanning dimensions again.

Keelo figured out how to set everything up so that he was still with Sahi and Deera while working. His job was less detail oriented than others in the department, he mostly scanned through dimensions and documented big changes since the last general observation, marking things that warranted closer examination for a different researcher to take on.

Dimension 1251715 was currently on his screen. It was a mostly barren world. A planet that had been caught in an orbit that was just a bit too far from the sun had made the struggle for life very difficult. The dominant organisms of the planet, called ayago, were developmentally millions of years away from the sevit. Keelo allowed his screens to run the diagnostics of 1251715, checking electromagnetic fields, atmospheric levels, the works, while Keelo watched Sahi and Deera out of the corner of his eye, smiling at how Sahi was showing things in her books to Deera, who quite honestly didn’t seem very interested!

When the scan completed, nothing of note had been found. So Keelo moved on to the next dimension, 5118208.   
Keelo blinked when he recognized the number sequence on the screen. Dimension 5118208 was the home dimension of humans, the dimension where Sahi and Deera had come from. 5118208 had been frequenting the radar for around a dozen years by this point. The energies of this dimension had been strong but fairly consistent since the discovery of alternate dimensions. But 12 years ago, a dark and erratic force, which had only ever been present in small doses, had given a sudden and massive spike. Keelo had been an entry level employee at that point, and he’d immediately been assigned to detail 5118208. They’d never discovered what had caused the change, but only four years later, an entirely new form of energy had appeared from absolutely _nowhere_.

It was dense and blinding, often overriding any other forces or energies that their devices could discover. Keelo remembered some of his superiors at the time thinking that this new energy was the start of the end of dimension 5118208, but that hadn’t been the case.

Ever since then, the energies of that world had fluctuated dramatically. The dark erratic forces often clashing with the denser forces, and every so often there would be a massive spike of some force of energy or another. Yet despite the chaos that their readings seemed to give, the humans of 5118208 kept functioning as normally as ever.

Whenever there was a massive spike, the devices that their lab had set up to monitor the dimensions would push dimension 5118208 into the queue to be examined by a researcher. Given how frequently it happened, Keelo had scanned through 5118208 numerous times. But this time, Keelo had a renewed interest in this dimension.

The cause of this spike was the dense mysterious force. Keelo scanned the area where it had originated, but unsurprisingly found nothing. The forces always seemed to vanish without any trace after large activity. Keelo should have been ready to move on, but he found himself curious about Sahi and Deera’s home dimension. With a quick and practiced hand, Keelo set up a global scan to detect high levels of activity. In almost no time at all, the sensors picked up a meeting point between the dark erratic force and the dense force, but instead of clashing, they just seemed to be existing in the same space. That was… odd…

Whenever the two forces met, for as long as they’d been monitoring this dimension, it was almost always a violent reaction between the two. Keelo focused in on the general area, but there wasn’t anything that indicated what was causing these forces. There wasn’t much intelligent life in the area he was observing now. Mostly flora and fauna, and two humans. Keelo focused in on the humans.

Both had dark hair, but one was a good bit shorter than the other. Perhaps it was an older adolescent? The shorter human was handing something to the other, and the moment the human took the object into it’s hand, the devices monitoring the energies of the dimension began firing off all at once.

Keelo watched with wide eyes as there was a massive spike in the dense energies, the sort of flare that always caused their monitoring devices to go off, coming from the _exact spot_ Keelo was observing.

What was more astonishing, the human who’d taken the object began emitting light, blue-white and blinding from his eyes. Keelo was stunned, could it be… were _humans_ responsible for the energy spikes?! How could this be possible! None of the evaluations of humans before this had suggested that the energy came from inside the humans themselves. Sahi and Deera certainly didn’t have this kind of energy inside them. The light from the human faded as the spike of dense energy died away. The human’s eyes returned to normal, the irises shocking blue, even through Keelo’s screens. But the surprises weren’t over as the human’s eyes turned directly towards Keelo’s observation point, it’s eyes locking with his, almost appearing as though it was looking directly at Keelo.

A loud shriek wrenched Keelo’s eyes away from the screen and towards the playpen, and Keelo nearly felt his heart stop.

Deera was sitting on top of Sahi, hands pinning her shoulders down, but before Keelo could even react, Sahi had used her feet to push Deera back onto his back, nearly flipping their positions as Sahi and Deera pushed against each other. They were _fighting with each other?!_

“No! Oh no no!” Keelo cried, stumbling to his feet from behind his desk and racing over to the playpen, just as Sahi let out another yell as Deera’s foot pushed against her stomach.

But before Keelo had gone more than a few steps, Sahi’s yell turned into a fit of laughter. It made Keelo pause, and now he could see what he hadn’t noticed yet. A flush of excited red in their faces, the broad smiles against both Sahi and Deera’s faces. They weren’t _fighting_ , they were _playing_.

Deera had a sort of hold on Sahi, but when her hand tickled across Deera’s stomach, the baby let out a burst of giggles of his own before releasing her, crawling backwards away from the other human.

The two humans suddenly seemed to notice Keelo standing over them. They both looked a little rumpled, the bow Noxu had placed in the top of Sahi’s hair was now hanging precariously off the side of her head, and Deera’s hair was sticking around in all different directions. Sahi looked a little embarrassed, but she smiled up at Keelo, giving him a little wave. Keelo couldn’t help but smile back at her, despite how his heart still hadn’t slowed down.

He bent over and scooped Sahi and Deera up, one into each arm, deciding that was all the independent play time they needed today. Keelo went back over to his screen with them both, and cradling Deera in one arm, he sat Sahi down on his lap so that he could work the screen with one hand.

The humans from before were gone from that area, as were the readings of the dark and dense energies. Keelo quickly marked dimension 5118208 for heavy observation, sending it to the other researchers. He’d type up a more detailed report of what he’d observed to send to the other lab members later. But it was about time for Sahi and Deera to eat lunch.

Deera had settled calmly into Keelo’s arms, mouthing at his thumb, and Sahi was peaking up over the table on his lap, looking at his screen with no small amount of curiosity. Maybe he’d get an old screen to let Sahi explore? Keelo knew his sister often let his niece play games designed for children on a screen.

Shutting everything off, Keelo stood with Sahi and Deera, going off to fix Sahi her bottle.

 

Back on Earth, Castiel had finally managed to locate which dimension Sam and Dean had landed in, by an extraordinary stroke of luck. But he still needed a lot more power if he wanted to travel through dimensions himself, especially if he was going to bring back Sam and Dean on the return trip. However, his brief glimpse into the alternate dimension had assured Castiel that the brothers weren’t in any danger. He had time to gather more power to ensure that the trip wouldn’t be dangerous. Now if Crowley could just help him find a few more items to boost his strength…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I dropped off the map again. I've been feeling really down lately, I don't know what's gotten me in this funk, but its made doing anything really hard. But I really wanted to update this story. This chapter might be a bit confusing, I really hope its not, but I hope you all like it.
> 
> Thanks for sticking around this long, you can come find me on tumblr if you want to ask me anything  
> https://dawne-d-diely.tumblr.com/


	22. Check-Up

Dean had to admit, his pride had taken a rather large hit since coming to this dimension. Being swaddled, held, bathed, dressed, and fed…being put into _diapers_ , it was all _humiliating_. But if there was one thing about him, it was that he was adaptable.

He’d adapted to life without a mom, life on the road taking care of his younger brother. He’d adapted to life alone after Sam had gone to college, and when Dad had taken off. He’d adapted to life in purgatory, always fighting, never stopping. He’d even been able to adapt to civilian life when he’d lived with Lisa and Ben. So living in this place, being cared for by giants who thought him helpless, it was _embarrassing_ as all get out _,_ but it was livable.  

Right now, he was getting his diaper changed. He and Sam had both been fed not too long ago, and Noxu was being extra chatty and playful with him, making the diaper change last a lot longer than it normally did. It was painfully obvious, even through the deep tenor of these creatures’ voices, that Noxu was baby talking him, and Dean wasn’t really interested in encouraging it or playing along. But it was hard to ignore the tickling fingers across his belly and kisses pressed against his toes, and despite himself, Dean couldn’t help but let out a few small laughs at the feeling, even as he tried to stay indifferent. But Noxu seemed determined to make him giggle as much as possible, so it was really a losing battle.

Oddly, Dean didn’t really find himself minding as much as he had when they’d first arrived in this dimension. It wasn’t how he wanted to be treated, but there were worse things that he could be living through.

The biggest thing, though, the one he just couldn’t get past, was how weak he’d actually become throughout his illness and through being treated like this. It was painfully obvious now that he wasn’t being restrained, that the continued swaddling and being carried, coupled with his still recovering body, had left him considerably weak. He couldn’t even _walk_ for christ’s sake. His legs would wobble and give out on him, making him feel like he was an actual infant, unsteadily trying to take his first steps. The embarrassment of it made Dean just want to lie there to save himself the mortification. He knew logically that if he didn’t move around, he’d never regain the strength and coordination he’d lost, but he was having a hard time motivating himself to recover.

Sam had been teasing him good naturedly, and really it was a good thing, because it made Dean want to get back on his feet. But overall it was easier to let the babying treatment just continue rather than constantly struggling.

Noxu finished changing his diaper, _finally_ , he’d nearly wet his fresh diaper with all the tickling Noxu had done. He was lifted up to Noxu’s chest, and Dean gratefully rested his head on the creature’s shoulder. It seriously sucked ass that he was so tired all the time, but he couldn’t help it. Any amount of activity wore him out, so after wrestling with Sam and Noxu’s tickle attack, he was near to nodding off.

Noxu’s giant hand rubbed against his back soothingly, the creature’s deep voice rumbling through him, pushing Dean even closer to sleep. But the sound of the nursery’s door opening had Dean cracking open eyes that he didn’t even remember closing.

An unfamiliar creature was coming through the door, and Dean instantly felt his stomach tighten.  Inwardly, Dean berated himself, feeling ridiculous at getting nervous just from a stranger. But he couldn’t shake the feeling as Noxu turned to face the new creature, quickly turning his head around to keep this new person in his sights. It was speaking to Noxu, and when it looked at him and smiled, Dean narrowed his eyes in his best “don’t-fuck-with-me” glare.

Dean’ wasn’t honestly surprised at this point when the creature just smiled back at him. He knew he mustn’t look very intimidating with a diaper bulge underneath a pair of green overalls, but just because he’d started cooperating with Noxu and Vava didn’t mean he was going to just go along with just _whoever_.

Despite his personal feelings, Noxu started passing him over to this unfamiliar creature, and Dean had to fight to keep himself from clinging onto Noxu. The creature started carrying him over to a table, and Dean shot and accusatory glare at Noxu over the creature’s shoulder. But that didn’t do anything for him, as the new creature laid him down on the table.

Dean tried to struggle to keep the creature from removing his clothing, but as exhausted as he felt, he might as well have not tried at all, and soon enough he laid in only his diaper.

The creature was talking over him, sometimes at him, but mostly directed towards Noxu. With some sort of hand held device, Dean suddenly had a light being flashed in his eyes, causing him to startle a bit and blink. But it was over before he knew it, and then his mouth was being gently pried open with the creature’s fingers, and the light shone inside. Once Dean’s head was moved to each side, so that the creature could look in his ears, Dean realized that this was similar to a checkup! This creature must have been a doctor.

The doctor wasn’t hurting Dean at all, but he wasn’t enjoying being moved around like he was, so he made sure to glare and jerk away from the creature as much as he could.

The doctor took his hands and started moving them, to the side, up, even pulling him up a bit off the table slightly, as if the creature was helping him sit up. But he was laid back down almost instantly, and the doctor took ahold of his feet, giving his legs the same treatment.

Dean cursed a bit when the doctor took his feet into one hand, and used the other to pinch on either side of his hips, not in a way that hurt, it just felt unpleasant, and started wiggling his feet as the doctor pinched up and down his abdomen. He would have really liked to give this doctor a kick!

Finally, the doctor released his limbs and turned to say something to Noxu. Dean was glad for the momentary reprieve, until he saw the doctor pulling a little rod out of their bag. Dean’s heart clenched in dread, he recognized that little stick! _No way! Not again!_

Dean flipped himself onto his knees, but hadn’t moved more than an inch when a finger hooked into the back of his diaper, holding him in place while simultaneously pulling the material down past his cheeks. Dean didn’t have a chance, and sure enough, just as he feared, the doctor used the little stick to check his temperature through his now exposed bottom. A hand around his waist kept him from escaping until the devious device had finished its work.

Once it was finally over, Noxu picked him up off the table, and for a moment Dean thought that that meant they were done with the check-up. But when he was pressed against Noxu’s chest, head held against the giant’s shoulder and diaper still pulled down past his bottom, Dean knew he was still in trouble.

_“FUCK.”_

There was a sharp pinch on his butt cheek, wrenching a swear from Dean from the surprise of it. It had been many years since he’d gotten a shot, neither him nor Sam were very good at keeping up with the newest flu vaccinations, but he sure as hell recognized the unpleasant feeling of a shot when he felt it! And since Noxu hadn’t let Dean up after the first sting, Dean felt fairly certain that there were more to come!

Dean struggled and kicked, swearing as loudly as he could against Noxu. Not that shots hurt particularly much, god knows he’d had much worse, still he didn’t _want_ to get repeatedly stabbed in the butt!

Dean was cursing up a storm as the doctor gave him the second shot, when Noxu pushed something into his mouth. Dean gave the item a startled suck, and felt the familiar weight of a pacifier nipple on his tongue. Dean started to spit it out when he got _another shot_ , and he clamped down on the nipple instead, unconsciously starting to suckle the pacifier in his frustration.

Dean received a total of four, _four_ , shots before his diaper was pulled back into place. Noxu rubbed the sore area of skin, and Dean hated to admit to himself that it was actually making the area feel a bit better. Noxu turned so that Dean could see the doctor better, who tried to coo at him and pat his head with long silver fingers. But Dean was pissed, this creature had stuck needles into his butt! He didn’t want to play nice! He jerked his head away from the creature, glaring as fiercely as he could manage, but his anger only produced a smile from the doctor and a deep chuckle from Noxu that he could feel running through his entire body. Belatedly, Dean realized that the pacifier was still in his mouth, probably causing him to look even less intimidating than he already did.

Dean clung to Noxu’s shirt with both of his fists as the doctor started packing up the medical bag, still speaking to Noxu over Dean’s head. He sort of hated being talked over like this, but it wasn’t new. Dean continued to glare at the doctor every time they started to get closer to him, and when Noxu shifted him a bit, his hands fisted tighter into Noxu’s robe, curling in even closer to the giant’s neck…when did his head get on Noxu’s shoulder?

The doctor _still_ hadn’t left when Dean realized he couldn’t see them any longer, he could only hear their voices because his eyes had mysteriously fallen shut. The world was gently swaying, maybe it was Noxu trying to rock him. Like that would work on him! He wasn’t a _baby_.

That was the last coherent thought Dean had before he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait, I needed a break. I've been in such a weird funk, but I'm sure as hell not done with this story yet. Thank you all so much for those who have stuck around, and thank you for anyone who's given this story a chance :) I can't believe the kudos you guys have given me, seriously so kind of you.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I hope to see you all again soon


	23. Hold Me Tighter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Panic attack is depicted in this chapter, take care if you may get triggered.

Sam was snuggled up in Vava’s lap, kicking his legs lazily as Vava read a story to him. It was one that Vava had read him many times already, a story about a baby autor going on some sort of adventure to find a home, Sam could only guess. It wasn’t Sam’s favorite, because there wasn’t much information he could learn from the book. He’d quickly run out of things to point at and ask, “Prican?” which was these creature’s word for “what?” as far as he could tell. He’d learned the words for trees and what they called the sun, but learning those types of words weren’t helping him to communicate with Vava or Noxu any better. But Sam had the sneaking suspicion that the reason Vava liked to read him this story was _because_ Sam had nothing more to learn from it.

Sam could sit and learn forever with Noxu and Vava. He had nothing else to really occupy his time here, now that Dean was better. He would point at pictures as guess words until he couldn’t stay awake any longer, which was what he suspected Vava was trying to avoid.

Sam knew that Vava was trying to put him to bed. He’d seen Noxu putting Dean into one of the cribs not too long ago, and Sam guessed it made sense for Vava to want him to go to bed as well, if Vava thought he was a baby. Reading a familiar story would encourage him to relax and doze off, instead of exciting him. Sam was sort of irked by the manipulation, but he didn’t care enough to do anything about it at the moment.

Vava’s lap was a comfortable place to rest, and Sam was feeling rather tired after the day. He’d had a bath earlier, where Vava had let Sam enjoy the warm bubbly water, and it had made him feel so relaxed and sleepy. But Sam couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t ready for bed yet.

Vava was reaching the end of the book, and Sam knew that meant he would be put in the crib soon. So he stuck out his hand to stop Vava from closing the book, and turned the pages back to the beginning before settling back against Vava’s chest, hoping for Vava to start the story over.

Sam could feel Vava’s voice rumbling behind him as the giant laughed. “Tere ut krishno amida!” Vava said. Sam turned his head up to look Vava in the face, but none of those words had any meaning to him, so he just looked at Vava with what he hoped was a pleading look. He really wasn’t ready to be put to sleep yet!

But it was for naught, as Vava closed the book and stood up from the rocking chair, holding Sam close as Vava placed a kiss on the top of his head.

Sam fought back a sigh as he was carried towards the changing table to be dressed in pajamas. Vava laid Sam down and removed the dress from over his head, this one had been yellow with a bow at the collar, and Sam blinked in surprised when Vava opened his diaper. It wasn’t until Vava had started changing him that Sam realized he’d wet his diaper at some point. That was…unusual. He’d never wet without noticing it before, except for at first when he’d been unconscious so much.

It was so alarming, that Sam started to feel a bit of panic as Vava cleaned his bottom with a wet cloth. Why hadn’t he noticed when he’d peed? Sam could feel now that he was paying attention that the diaper had been pretty thoroughly saturated. Normally, he couldn’t stand the feeling of sitting in a wet diaper for too long, but just how long had he been wet?

Sam felt himself start to tear up as Vava lifted up his ankles towards his chest, pulling the wet diaper out from underneath him while sprinkling on a baby powder to his freshly cleaned cheeks. This was insane! Sam _couldn’t_ be losing control of his bladder for _real_ , could he?

Vava had lowered his legs now so that he was laying on top of a fresh diaper, and had started pulling the material up snuggly between his legs before quickly fastening them shut. Sam felt a few tears slip unexpectedly down his face as he blinked.

Vava scooped him up in an instant. “Prican corryor, Sahi?” Vava’s voice was heavily laden with concern, and Sam found himself clutching to the front of Vava’s robe, and embarrassingly, his breath hitched.

Tears were escaping down his face, despite Sam’s efforts to blink them away. Why was he crying? He had no reason to cry! Dean was safe, _he_ was safe, he had no injuries or anything that was causing him pain. He just…he just…

Vava’s arms pulled him in tightly, oddly reassuring rather than restraining. And Sam couldn’t help himself. His whole body shuddered as he shrank into Vava’s embrace, tears still rolling down his face as he started to silently sob. He couldn’t help himself, he didn’t know why he was so upset, all he knew was that he needed Vava to keep holding him like this, until this awful feeling had passed.

Vava held Sam for a long time, dressed in nothing but a diaper, and Sam clung to Vava as though his life depended on it. After some time, his sobs had started to die down, and Sam was hiccupping softly into Vava’s shoulder, Sam felt Vava start to set him down.

An unreasonable feeling of panic flashed through him, and Sam’s grip on Vava became tighter, and he actually heard himself let out a whimper of protest as the tears started up again.

Vava instantly held Sam tight again, and began rocking Sam as they walked around the room. Sam didn’t know why, but he _did not_ want Vava to put him down yet. He burrowed himself into Vava’s shoulder, as close as he could, and tried to just focus on Vava’s soothing voice, which was humming something to him. The bouncing, rocking motion was helping as well, and slowly Sam started to loose that sickly, sinking feeling in his stomach. Sam’s eyes were shut, and he could feel himself falling asleep. But as long as Vava was holding him so comfortingly, Sam found that he didn’t mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevit word guide:  
> Tere ut krishno amida - Its almost time for bed  
> Prican corryor, Sahi? - What's wrong Sahi?
> 
> I... don't really know where this chapter came from to be honest. I just felt like Sam needed a little bit of comfort, everything's been so hard on him with Dean being sick, sometimes emotions have a funny way of building up and bursting free at the oddest moments. Thankfully Sam has a good mommy to comfort him. 
> 
> Thanks again you guys, see you all again soon


	24. Papers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry in advance for this chapter being a bit shorter than normal. I just wrote what I felt needed to be said, and I didn't want to add anything else! I hope you like this chapter.

Once Sahi fell asleep in his arms, Keelo still had a hard time setting the youngling down into her crib. He continued his slow pacing around the nursery, petting her hair gently as he continued to hum her a lullaby. Keelo wasn’t quite sure what prompted the small bout of tears, but it made his heart ache. His poor little girl.

Finally, Keelo gently lowered Sahi to the crib and tucked her into the blankets. She still wasn’t dressed in her pajamas, but he was more worried about waking her whens he so obviously needed rest. So he took care to make sure she was covered up by the blankets. But one night in only her diaper wouldn’t hurt her.

Noxu entered the nursery as he finished, sneaking quietly across the room so as not to wake the sleeping younglings.

“What happened?” Noxu whispered in concern when zee saw the few lingering tear tracks on Sahi’s face.

“Sahi was a bit upset, she didn’t want me to put her down to sleep,” Keelo answered softly. “Even though Deera is fine now, I suspect the stress from these last days has caught up to her.”

Noxu nodded in understanding. “They’re both such incredible little creatures, aren’t they? They’re tiny little people…”

“That’s exactly what they are, Noxu, they’re _children_ ,” Keelo chuckled.

“I know that! Its just so strange, they can’t tell us what they’re thinking or feeling by conventional means, and yet it feels like we know them so well…” Noxu trailed off fondly. “Deera had no trouble letting the doctor and me know that he was _very_ unhappy that he was getting a check up!”

Keelo was still laughing softly. “He’s a little grump, alright. What did the doctor have to say about him?”

“All good things. His weight is getting better, his limbs move easily and seem to be well developed. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except he may have a bit of a sore bottom from his vaccinations, and she told me we could expect him to be extra sleepy and to have a slight fever while his body adjusts to them.”

Keelo said nothing as he smiled down at Deera, who was clinging to his doll in sleep, pacifier lax between his pursed lips. He certainly didn’t mind if Deera would need extra naps for a few days. The baby was so stubborn, he would fight off sleep as long as he could, unless he was being held. All it took was some practiced rocking and a convenient place to put his head, and Keelo would have the cutest infant asleep on his shoulder.

“Oh! We also received something I know you’ll be glad to see,” Noxu said excitedly, holding out an envelope for Keelo to take.

Keelo’s eyes brightened in understanding. “Is this… ?”

“The paper work declaring Sahi and Deera as our legal children. All we have to do is take them to the tribunal so we can sign the adoption papers and enter them officially into the system!”

Keelo couldn’t help himself. He wrapped his arms around Noxu’s shoulders and pulled zim into a hug, holding tightly as Noxu let out a wet sounding laugh and returned the hug in earnest.

“Noxu, this is the happiest moment of my life,” Keelo said honestly, still refusing to let go.

“Don’t say that yet!” Noxu laughed, squeezing Keelo a bit. “Wait until you’ve seen some of the houses I’ve found!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wanted to ask your opinions. I've had the ending for this story planned pretty much since the beginning, but a lot of you have told me endings that you'd like, and not all of them are similar to what I'm going to do. But some of your ideas for the ending have inspired a lot of "what if" scenarios in my mind! 
> 
> I was thinking about posting three different "endings" according to what new ideas I'd had, and posting them as seperate works within the series of this story. Then when I get to the point where the stories branch off, I'll put a note in (like those choose your own adventure books) to look at the descriptions for the other endings, so you can enjoy whichever ending to the story you want! While I'll post the ending I'd originally wanted here in this story. 
> 
> Does that sound like a good idea to anyone? Also, this doesn't mean the story is almost over! I still have a fair few more things to happen before we get close to the ending, I'm just trying to think ahead!


	25. Hello Mother, Hello Father

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to point out something before this chapter. So the sevitis have their own language, which I write out phonetically when we're in Sam/Dean's perspective, but in Keelo/Noxu's POV I write as english. 
> 
> So in this chapter, the sevitis word for "no" is "kso," which is why when Dean says "No," Keelo and Noxu don't hear "No" the english word... hopefully that makes sense! Or maybe it will when you read it.

The doctor’s prediction about Deera had been correct. The vaccines had given the baby the slightest fever (though not enough that Deera didn’t struggle against getting his temperature taken), and had Deera dozing in and out of sleep all day. Keelo and Noxu decided to wait a day to take Sahi and Deera to the tribunal so they could sign the adoption papers. They certainly didn’t want to go on an outing with a grumpy baby!

Deera was a little bit grumpy, and a lot clingy. Keelo and Noxu took turns holding Deera while the other readied bottles or played with Sahi. Deera was intensely interested in being involved with whatever Sahi was doing, whether it was toddling around the playpen or reading books, but at the same time, Deera clung tighter to whoever was holding him whenever they tried to put him down. During his first diaper change of the morning, Deera had fallen asleep on the changing table, and Noxu had put Deera down in the crib. He’d woken up after not too long, and had been very vocal about his displeasure at being put in the crib. Deera had pulled himself to his feet using the bars of the crib, and called out to Noxu with a loud, _“Nokz!”_ sound.

It had startled Noxu so bad, to hear a sound so similar that it _had_ to be Deera calling out to specifically _zim_ , that Noxu had dropped the bottles he’d been sterilizing in the sink, and gone to scoop up Deera who was reaching up to him, a very prominent pout on his face. Keelo had laughed openly as Noxu showered Deera in kisses, while Deera tried to hid his face in Noxu’s neck. But since that moment, Deera had been reluctant to be put down, even in preparation for feeding or a diaper change.

If Noxu started to set him down, Deera would let out a loud “NO!” which wasn’t quite Noxu’s full name that Sahi had mastered saying, but both Keelo and Noxu took to mean that Deera was calling out for Noxu. Noxu found zimself unwilling to part with Deera that morning either, but zee acted as though he was going to put Deera down a few different times, in order to prompt Deera calling out to zim again.

Sahi seemed to think the game was hilarious, and laughed silently behind her hands in Keelo’s lap whenever Noxu did it. Keelo was pretty sure that Sahi could see that Noxu was just trying to get Deera to speak again and again, and he found himself smiling at Noxu and Deera along with Sahi.

“They’re silly, aren’t they, little one?” Keelo whispered to Sahi.

Sahi looked up at him curiously, tilting her head. “Deera?” she said, her soft little voice sounding adorable.

Keelo nodded. “Deera is _silly_ ,” he said slowly, knowing that Sahi probably didn’t understand what “silly” meant, but she knew he was talking about her fellow human.

Sahi nodded as if she were agreeing. She pointed over at Noxu and Deera. “Deen.”

Now it was Keelo’s turn to be confused. What word was Sahi trying to replicate? Sahi must have been able to see on his face that he didn’t understand her because she sat up a bit in his lap, and pointed again at Deera.

“Deera,” she said slowly, and shook her head. “Deen.”

“De-en?” He tried to mimic the sound Sahi was making, and she nodded excitedly. “Deera is deen? What does ‘deen’ mean?”

Sahi furrowed her brow. Then she started babbling, making mostly sounds that Keelo didn’t recognize. He heard “Deera” and “Sahi,” but soon Sahi cut herself off with a huff, crossing her arms and slumping her back against Keelo’s chest. “Si-lly,” she said softly. “Deera is _silly_.”

Keelo was surprised at the little outburst. What on earth had Sahi been trying to tell him. It seemed important to her, but she didn’t speak using any words that he recognized. It suddenly occurred to Keelo that humans had their own language, one that was likely completely different to the sevitis language. Sahi was also clearly old enough to begin speaking, even Deera seemed to be recognizing names, even if he wasn’t at the stage where he was replicating many sounds. It was very possible that Sahi had some basic grasp of language through the human’s language. That must be very confusing and frustrating for her. She was just at the age where she was learning to express herself, and she’d been forced to start completely over.

Keelo suddenly wished that his research facility had attempted to learn the languages of the humans’ home dimension. But he had no clues to piece together what Sahi was trying to say.

There was still too much miscommunication between them. Sahi still didn’t understand most words he tried to speak to her, and Keelo had base he could use to try and understand the words that Sahi had learned in dimension 5118202. Still, Keelo could see the frustration in Sahi, and he wanted her to know that he wanted to understand her just as much as she wanted to be understood. He was about to start prompting Sahi to try and explain herself again, when his screen, which was sitting on the counter not too far away, started notifying him of an incoming communication request.

He sat Sahi down carefully off his lap, and stood up to reach for his screen, seeing that there was a message from his mother.

_Uh oh._

He hadn’t spoken to his mother in a while… a _long_ while.

Keelo waved at Noxu to tell zim he was stepping out, and exited the nursery to take the phone call.

* * *

 

Keelo’s conversation with his mother had turned into a conversation with both his parents. The last time he’d spoken to them, Sahi and Deera had just been found, and Keelo had not even given them names yet. It took a long time to tell his mother about everything that had happened, with Sahi and Deera, between Noxu and him, and that he was actually about to legally _adopt_ the two humans as his children.

His mother had been shocked, unbelievably excited that she was going to be a grandmother again, and unbelievably _angry_ she hadn’t been told yet!

Keelo had done some quick talking to explain everything such as Deera’s illness that had kept him from telling her for so long, and mollified her by sending her some of the pictures of the humans while promising her to introduce them to their new grandmother soon! Then his mother had called his _father_ , who’d needed to hear the explanation all over again, and who’d been so excited about that zee was going to be a _grandfather_ again that zee’d nearly cried on the other end of the communication line!

Keelo had to promise that they would get to meet Sahi and Deera soon, and he swore to call his sister and tell her the news before the end of the day, so that she might be able to come and meet her new niece and nephew. By the time he finally got off his screen, Keelo felt exhausted, but happy.

He walked back into the nursery to see Noxu sitting on the floor, Deera in his lap and Sahi a short distance away. Noxu was setting up blocks, and when zee would finish, Sahi would roll a ball into the blocks, knocking them all down. Noxu would pass the ball back to Sahi, and start building the blocks all over again. Deera was halfway cradled in Noxu’s left arm, his eyes lazily following the ball, but clearly on the verge of falling asleep again.

“Who was that on the phone?” Noxu asked as zee rolled the ball back towards Sahi.

“Uh… well. It was my mother,” Keelo said tentatively. “Noxu…have you thought to tell your family about Sahi and Deera?”

Noxu froze instantly, zis eyes growing wide. “Oh _Kizarian_ , Vava’s going to kill me!”

* * *

A long time later, Keelo had a sleeping Deera in one arm, and Sahi was sitting on his other leg as he fed her a bottle using one hand. Noxu came back into the room and sat down on the floor next to Keelo, looking sheepish.

“So… my parents are going to be coming to visit soon,” zee said, reaching out to stroke the side of Deera’s sleeping face. “I _can’t believe_ I forgot to tell my family!”

“We’ve been a bit preoccupied,” Keelo said with a wide smile. “I never even thought that I should call my family…I got so carried away with the one we’re starting.”

Sahi was blinking curiously between Noxu and Keelo as she finished up her bottle. When the milk was gone, Noxu picked her up and burped her for Keelo.

“I like this family,” Noxu said, settling Sahi on zis arm and nuzzling her nose with zis, making Sahi let out a surprised giggle, and Keelo’s heart felt very full at the sight.

“Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I will end up posting a few different endings! 
> 
> I'm going to think about the alternate endings, and start planning how I want them written! But this story will contain my original ending, and you'll have the options to go and look at the alternate endings when it comes time for that part of the story! In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy what I have planned :)


	26. Sam's Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HUGE THANKYOU to AvatarToph for fanart, I've included it in this chapter <3 the images are absolutely amazing

Something big was happening, Sam could tell. His fist clue was that Noxu had been very excited about dressing Dean and him. Dean had been dressed in a dark blue onesie, that looked like it was styled after the types of robes that Noxu and Keelo wore. Sam had been put in what he could only describe as a light pink gown, long enough to reach his knees. However, the material of the skirt was so light and sheer, that his legs and were still partially visible, and every so often was a little detail that looked similar to a silver flower was sewn into the fabric, sticking out from the fabric. The sleeves were short and puffed at his shoulders, and a silver and pink flower had been pinned into his hair.

The outfit felt very nice…and so did Dean’s. While Noxu was dressing them, Vava was over by the counters putting items into a bag. He saw bottles, these things that looked like the tablet computers he preferred, even blankets and diapers.

They’d been fed while still in their pajamas that morning, which was really unusual. But Sam guessed that Vava and Noxu wanted to keep them from messing up the nice outfits. By why were they dressing them up today? They were obviously planning on going somewhere, but where were they going?

For a moment, Sam wondered if they were going to daycare again, but he quickly dismissed that thought. When they’d gone to daycare, Vava hadn’t packed much, and they certainly hadn’t been dressed in such formal feeling clothes.

Once his hair was fixed, Noxu sat Sam down into the playpen with Dean before going over to Vava, speaking excitedly. Dean was pulling on his robe, but he glanced at Sam. “Nice dress,” he said, but his voice wasn’t as teasing as it normally might be, and Sam honestly couldn’t tell if Dean was trying to make fun of him or not.

Sam chose not to respond to it. “I guess we’re doing something important today,” he said instead, changing the topic.

“God, who knows where we’re going,” Dean said, still tugging on his sleeves. “Feel how thick this material is!”

Sam pinched bell shaped fabric around Dean’s wrists between his fingers. “Wow, you’re right. But its also really soft…”

“Yeah, I guess I’m just glad it isn’t itchy.”

Sam frowned a bit at Dean, feeling a small amount of concern bubble up in him. Dean seemed really distracted, not quite like his usual self. He was also really fidgety, his hands fidgeting with his clothes, and he was also sucking on his bottom lip. Sam had seen Dean do that before, Dean had always suck the ends of pens into his mouth or worried his lips when he was distracted by something or feeling anxious. But for the life of him, Sam couldn’t tell what might have Dean in this weird mood.

Sam himself had been feeling pretty odd lately. It had occurred to him yesterday as he was sitting with Dean and Noxu. He’d let himself get frustrated with Vava earlier, still upset that Vava couldn’t understand him as well as Sam would have liked, and all the reading books wasn’t working as fast as he wanted it too. He was frustrated to the point that he didn’t want to keep trying any more, but he also knew that if he quit, he’d _never_ be able to communicate clearly.

It had been a welcome distraction when Noxu came with Dean and started to play with him. That’s what they’d been doing…playing. There was no way around it. Sam wasn’t even really sure how the game got started. Dean had been lethargic all day, and had been sitting in Noxu’s lap, while Noxu tried to encourage Sam to play with some of the toys around. Sam had half heartedly stacked blocks alongside Noxu for a bit, seeing how happy it made the giant, but soon lost interest. Noxu had probably noticed that Sam’s thoughts were wandering, because then Noxu had handed him a ball, and Sam had bounced it around a bit, until he’d lost control, and the ball had rolled towards the stacked blocks, knocking them all down.

Dean had laughed and said, “You _almost_ got a strike, Sammy,” and suddenly it was a challenge.

Some way or another, Sam and Noxu had started bowling, with Noxu building up towers as the “pins,” and a bouncy ball as the bowling ball. Dean had laughed and helped Noxu set up pins for a long time before he started to doze off, a lazy smile on his face, and Sam had gotten a surprising amount of satisfaction from the makeshift game.

It was when the game ended and Noxu traded places with Vava that Sam made his discovery. As Vava fed them both, and Sam was settled comfortably leaning back against Vava, halfway holding the bottle Vava had in front of his mouth, Sam realized that he was content.

_Happy._

He didn’t feel annoyed that he had to eat from a bottle. He wasn’t uncomfortable sitting in the lap of a giant. He hadn’t been just going along with Noxu earlier, he’d _enjoyed_ their faux bowling game, more than he’d initially realized.

Just when had the coddling stopped annoying him? When had he started leaning into Noxu’s fingers running through his hair? When had he stared to enjoy the security of Vava’s lap?

Could that be what was up with Dean? They were supposed to _hate_ this… Sam told himself that a part of him still _did_ hate this. But it felt like a lie, even inside his own head.

Truth be told…living like this, being taken care of, wasn’t terrible. Sure parts were still embarrassing and frustrating, but when Sam allowed himself to stop thinking, planning, calculating; when he let himself just _be_ , he felt more carefree than he could remember feeling.

All of a sudden, Noxu was scooping Sam up from under his arms, pulling him in close and placing a kiss on his cheek. Sam laughed at the tickling feeling and ducked his head a bit in surprise, clinging onto the giant.

“Tere ut howa, lition ma!” Noxu said in a cheerful voice, just as Vava picked up Dean.

Vava chuckled and said something back, but Sam couldn’t understand it.

Sam _could_ have felt anxious about where they were going. He could have fretted and wondered himself to death, but he _knew_ wouldn’t get him any answers. In the end, all he would do was make himself unhappy, when there was nothing he would be able to do about it.

Instead, Sam clung onto Noxu a bit tighter as the giants took them outside for the second time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevit Word Guide
> 
> "Tere ut howa, liton ma!" - "Its time to go, my sweet!"


	27. Footprints

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AvatarToph did more amazing fanart for this fic that I wanted to share with everyone! I'm only including one in this chapter, because I want to save the other for a future chapter :) but I'm so grateful! They're so cute!

Dean was settled into Vava’s arms, clinging onto the giant tightly.

Something big was happening. They were in a large room, filled with the silver giants, all wearing some variation of the thick robes that Vava and Noxu were wearing. Many of them were glancing towards Vava and Noxu, but Dean was under no illusions, they were staring at _Sam and him._ There were a few other creatures standing around who were holding what could only be children. Dean accidently made eye contact with one of the giants. It’s curious face broke out into a wide, crinkled-eyed smile, and it waved at him. Dean turned quickly away, burying his head in Vava’s shoulder to hide his flushed face.

There was a giant sitting behind a large podium, right in front of where Vava and Noxu were standing, and they were all speaking in serious voices. Dean peaked over at Sam, who was looking between Noxu and the giant with wide, alert eyes. Dean had to wonder if Sam could understand anything that they were saying. He heard “Sahi,” and “Deera,” thrown around a few times, which he knew by now was what they were calling Sam and him. But no other words had any meaning.

Still, Dean had a strange feeling that he knew what was happening.

Soon, there was something being placed on the podium, a stiff sort of paper. First Noxu, who was holding Sam, leaned down, and using something that looked similar to a pen, signed the document. Then Vava did the same thing. Dean looked at the paper as much as he could in Vava’s arms, but none of it was legible. Then Vava was shifting him in his arms, and Dean was being held so that his feet were sticking out. The giant behind the podium started to remove the booties, leaving his toes bare. Then the creature dipped some sort of brush into a pot, and started painting the bottoms of Dean’s feet with a cold, dark liquid. Dean tried to stop himself from jerking back at the tickling feeling, and soon his skin was black. Dean looked over to see Sam getting the same treatment. They caught each other’s eyes, and Dean knew, they where both realizing the same thing.

Dean’s heart felt like it was in his throat as he watched Noxu take Sam’s ankle, and lower him towards the paper, pressing one foot against it, and then the other. Then Vava was doing the same thing to Dean, and soon Sam and Dean’s footprints were on the paper, side by side.

Noxu and Vava immediately started to clean off the bottoms of their feet with wet wipes, putting them back into their soft shoes. They were smiling, looking at both Sam and him, and at each other with undisguised adoration, both with tears in their eyes. Once their feet had been cleaned, Noxu and Vava put the booties back onto Sam and Dean, and placed big kisses on each of their cheeks respectively. They turned around to the room at large, there was a flash, which startled Dean in to curling in to Vava tighter, and the giants standing around the room started clapping and speaking, many of them waving their hands at them as Vava and Noxu started to take them away from the podium.

Once again, Dean and Sam locked eyes as the exited the large room, both too stunned to even attempt to look around at the rest of the building’s interior.

“What was…did we just…?” Sam said quietly, and Dean nodded numbly.

“We just got adopted.”

~

Dean was having a hard time processing what had just happened.

_Adopted._

There was no mistaking it. He just knew it, deep down in his bones. These giants had _adopted_ them.

Noxu was speaking excitedly as they continued to walk through the building. Dean’s fingers were gripping the material of Vava’s robe really tightly, and he kept looking over at Sam, who was staring at nothing, looking lost in his own thoughts. Dean didn’t know where they were going, but he couldn’t really make himself care at that moment. He just kept repeating that _word_ in his head, over and over, and it felt draped over him like a heavy blanket.

These creatures…giants…Vava and Noxu, had found them unconscious, and taken them in. They’d treated their injuries, cleaned them, fed them, cared for them in ways that they had certainly never asked for. Hell, they’d saved his and Sammy’s lives, saved _Dean_ twice now, when he’d been so ill. And Dean…he couldn’t understand why. Why had these creatures gone so out of their way just to help them? Why had they _continued_ to help them, long after they’d both recovered from their disastrous trip through dimensions?

And now, they’d gone even further. As if they were truly children, which Dean _knew_ they only saw Sam and him as helpless children, they’d adopted them, officially made a documented commitment to taking caring of them, and it left Dean feeling…

They were turning into a room now, this one small, and there was only one other giant waiting on the inside. The giant greeted them, and started pointing to a bench, directing Noxu and Vava to sit on them, with Sam and Dean in their laps. The giant started arranging Noxu and Vava’s robes, as Noxu straightened out Sam’s dress and finger combed his hair, and Vava fixed Dean’s robe similarly. Then the other giant was stepping back, holding a device in his hands that Dean didn’t recognize, and said something, waving it’s fingers above the device.

Dean scrunched his nose in confusion.

“Deera!” Noxu’s voice sounded next to him, and he looked up questioningly. “Yali, Deera!” Noxu said encouragingly, and Dean could only raise an eyebrow in confusion. What on earth did Noxu want?

Vava chuckled something behind Deera, and suddenly Noxu’s face took on an evil look, one that Dean definitely recognized!

Dean’s eyes grew wide, before Noxu’s fingers had even reached him, and he instinctively tried to draw back as Noxu started tickling his belly.

“NO!” Dean shrieked as he wriggled away from Noxu, trying but failing miserably to keep away from the tickling fingers, and the laughter he could feel bubbling up inside him.

Vava was laughing, and Dean could even hear Sam start to laugh as Dean fought not to smile or laugh, but inevitably, Dean broke out into a fit of laughter that he couldn’t control. Noxu’s fingers drew away, and almost immediately there was a flash of light, and Dean finally realized that they were trying to take a picture.

Dean glared at Noxu for the dirty trick, but Noxu and Vava were still laughing and even Sam was hiding his mouth behind his hand.

Vava picked Dean up off his lap and hugged him as they stood up, and Vava placed a kiss on Dean’s head as Noxu rubbed his shoulder soothingly. Dean could feel that his face was drawn into a pout, but that didn’t stop the way his stomach flipped at Vava’s kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo - so sorry for the absence again. I had a death in the family, and all the stuff surrounding that was just draining. 
> 
> I keep having these problems and excuses, and I'm really sorry about that. But for those of you who are still around, thanks so much, and I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Sevit Word guide 
> 
> Yali - smile


	28. A House (A Home?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mentions of Breast-feeding at the end of this chapter.

The trip to the tribunal couldn’t have gone better.

Sahi and Deera were relaxed for their morning feedings. Keelo had set about packing a bag full of things they’d be needing while Noxu got the younglings dressed. Truthfully, it probably would have been alright to leave most of the stuff he’d packed behind, after all he’d made sure their new house was stocked when he’d gone last night.

That’s right, their _new house_.

Noxu had found the place, a cozy four bedroom house with a large enclosed backyard. Sahi and Deera would be able to have their own rooms, when they got older. But for now, they’d stay in the nursery which had just been finished. He and Noxu had taken turns going to take care of arrangements for their new home, hiring people to paint and prep the rooms, scheduling movers to move them in, moving their belongings from their old residences into the new one.

Keelo had desperately wanted their home to be finished and ready to be moved into as soon as the adoption could be completed. It had taken a little extra stressing, and a little extra funds, but it was all worth it, knowing that today, Sahi and Deera would become his legal children, and that he would take his children home with his partner.

They’d leave the nursery set up here in the lab as it had been. Keelo and Noxu both still wanted to work, after all, and Sahi and Deera were well enough behaved that there wouldn’t be any problem with bringing them to work when they both needed to come in. Besides, Keelo was a little bit nervous that the change in atmosphere would be hard for the younglings. He sort of anticipated switched back and forth between nights at the lab and at the new house to slowly get them both comfortable with their new home. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case. But Keelo knew he wouldn’t mind.

Noxu had finished dressing Sahi and Deera, and zee came over to Keelo, smiling widely.

“Aren’t they just adorable! Those outfits you found are perfect.”

“I’m glad you approve,” Keelo said with a smile. “You know, we’re likely to get some attention. This has all been kept relatively quiet since Sahi and Deera arrived, but now that they’re being _adopted_ …”

“They might be on every news screen…” Noxu said slowly, looking thoughtful.

“Exactly.”

Noxu had a troubled look on zis face now. “I understand that people will be curious, I know I’d be curious if they weren’t my kids! But…I don’t really want people to treat them like oddities.”

Keelo nodded, knowing exactly how Noxu felt. “I’ve already called the tribunal to ask for some privacy. They were very kind and understanding on the phone about it. They can’t stop people from approaching us, especially as we leave, and there will be others adopting there as well. But their security will make sure that any reporters that do show up will respect our boundaries.”

Noxu sighed, but nodded. It wasn’t the best situation, but knowing that Keelo had already done what could be done, Noxu felt a lot better.

With excitement bubbling up in Noxu once again, zee swept over to the their children and scooped Sahi into zis arms, kissing her cheek. “It’s time to go, my sweet!” Noxu said happily, and zee led Keelo with Deer out the door, and towards the tribunal.

* * *

 

Despite the small amount of curious staring, the other adults going through the adoption process at the tribunal were very respectful. Keelo and Noxu stood side by side, holding onto their lovely younglings as the Grandmaster read through the rights and responsibilities that Keelo and Noxu were taking on as Sahi and Deera’s parents. Finally, the adoption certificate was brought out, and they both signed. Then, they removed the booties from Sahi and Deera’s feet, and put their tiny footprints onto the document. Once the babies’ feet had been cleaned and recovered. The Grandmaster declared Sahi and Deera officially theirs, and Keelo and Noxu were free to take their family home.

They turned around to face the room, someone took a picture of the brand new family, the rest of the room clapped and cheered, and neither Keelo nor Noxu could remember a happier moment in their lives.

* * *

 

Surprisingly, no one ambushed them as they left the tribunal.

They’d gotten the most adorable picture of them together as a family, a rare smile from Deera next to his giggling sister, immortalized forever in a still moment.

Keelo had already sent a copy to his mother’s screen, and he suspected Noxu had done the same. They’d have to get it framed…one for the lab, another for their new home, a few for their wallets…

Sahi and Deera were both oddly complacent. Keelo knew he and Noxu were being overly generous with hugs and kisses today, which normally caused the younglings to squirm at least a little. But today, they simply accepted the love, without even shying away.

They made it back to the car, and Deera didn’t even pout as he was strapped in. Keelo drove them, Noxu was too excited to get behind the wheel, nearly bouncing in zis seat as zee leaned back every few minutes to rub Deera’s feet or pat Sahi’s leg.

And then, they’d arrived.

Noxu picked up Sahi while Keelo gathered up Deera. Both younglings’ eyes were wide as they looked at the building that was unfamiliar. Keelo could feel the baby’s fingers gripping him tightly, so he rubbed Deera’s back and hushed him soothingly as they walked slowly inside.

Not for the first time, Keelo desperately wished he could know what his little ones were thinking. Their mouths both hung open when they walked through the door. Surprisingly, it was Sahi who first looked pinched and uncomfortable. Keelo had almost been _sure_ that Deera would be the one to be most opposed to the change in environment. But Deera’s face was mostly slack, like the poor little thing couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

They took them straight upstairs, there’d be plenty of time to show them the whole house later, and straight back to their nursery.

The nursery was ready with two cribs, Sahi and Deera’s names hanging on the wall in wooden letters above each. There was a rocking chair (the softest in the store, Noxu swore it!), a chest of drawers, a changing table, and chests and shelves for toys and books.

Sahi visibly tensed up in Noxu’s arms when she saw it, Noxu was immediately trying to sooth the youngling, but her face was drawn and pale. Keelo felt concern stir up in him. He’d thought Sahi might be a little wary at first, but she seemed more than that just now, like something was troubling her deeply.

The small sound of breath hitching startled Keelo into looking down at Deera.

The baby’s eyes had filled with tears, and they were running down his face in long rivets. Keelo instantly brought Deera up closer to him, pressing kisses into his hair and rocking him, whispering soft reassurances as he walked around the room, leaving Noxu to comfort Sahi. Deera made no sound as he cried, he simply clung onto Keelo tightly as they walked around.

Eventually, Noxu got Sahi to relax a bit, though her expression was extraordinarily shy and bashful. Seeing that it was way past lunch time, Noxu took Sahi downstairs to fix her a bottle.

Deera was still clinging onto Keelo’s shoulder, the tears had stopped but he still had an occasional sniff. Keelo continued his rocking and bouncing walk over to the rocking chair, sitting down and gently pulling Deera back from his shoulder. Keelo felt love and protectiveness swirling deep inside him at the sight of Deera’s red eyes, and he used his thumb to brush away the tears from his little boy’s face.

Keelo started humming as he pulled back the front of his robe, something his mother used to sing to him and his sister when they’d been children. Still humming, Keelo brought Deera close, thumbing the baby’s mouth open so he would start to feed.

After a few minutes of sucking, Deera sighed around him and let go. Keelo brought Deera up to burp him gently, but then Deera did something that made him freeze.

So fast, Keelo could hardly register it, Deera had placed his little hand on the other side of Keelo’s jaw, and placed a kiss on his cheek.

It was brief, so quick, Keelo instantly wondered if he’d imagined it. Because in the next second, Deera’s head was buried in his neck, refusing to look at him.

Warmth filled Keelo, and he felt close to tears.

Instead of trying to coax Deera out of hiding, Keelo held the baby a bit tighter, rocking him in their new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the condolences, your kind comments have been so wonderful and uplifting <3


	29. What this Means

Sam was sitting in a highchair, strapped in tight by the harness, and feeling well and truly trapped. He stared down at the tray in front of him, glaring at it, listening to the sounds of Noxu moving around the little kitchen preparing a bottle. This was…ridiculous. This was absolutely ridiculous. Here he was, a grown man, sitting in a diaper and waiting to be bottle fed by a giant who insisted on treating him like a baby. None of this was new, this had been his life for the past however long. But the utter _ubsurdity_ of the situation was crashing down around him, making Sam feel almost sick to his stomach.

Noxu finished the bottle and started to bring it over to Sam, but he refused to look up at Noxu when the bottle was first offered to his mouth. Sam heard Noxu start to coo, and the nipple of the bottle was wiggled up closer to his lips. Sam jerked his head away. “ _Kso_ ,” Sam said through clenched teeth, knowing that was Noxu’s language for _No._ And Sam could practically feel the surprise coming from Noxu.

“Tirend ya~” Noxu tried again in a sing-song voice, and Sam could only hear Noxu’s patronizing baby-talk, _“Open up~!”_

“ _Kso,”_ Sam said again, harsher this time. The slightly sad look on Noxu’s face might have made Sam feel guilty, but he was feeling too fed up. He was _tired_ of bottles. He was _tired_ of diapers, and cribs, and being carried and spoken to like he was a child.

Too many times in his life, he’d had control taken away from him. He’d never been in control when Dad and Dean went on hunts and left him in the motel room as a kid. He’d never been in control of the numerous moves, jumping from town to town every few months. He’d had his control ripped away when the yellow-eyed demon killed Jess and stuck him in that damn competition against the other “special children.” He hadn’t been in control when Dean made the deal for his life, nor when he’d become addicted to the demon blood. The entire _Universe_ had tried to pick and choose what he would be, the Boy King, Lucifer’s Vessel, soulless, a sacrifice, and every single damn time he’d had to wrestle and fight for his freedom, for the ability to control his own life. But now, _once again_ , he was stuck in circumstances beyond his control, and was expected to _play nice_. Well Sam was _done_.

“Prican corryor, surver ma?” Noxu cooed again, and Sam snapped.

“Kso! No! I’m _not a baby! Kso tooma!_ ” Sam’s fingers gripped the side of the highchair tray tightly, his knuckles feeling white and he tried to jerk it off him unsuccessfully. “I’m so _tired_ of _playing house!_ I’m NOT A BABY, KSO KSO KSO!”

With each word, Sam’s voice rose, and he struggled more violently against the highchair. By the time he stopped for a moment to catch his breath, Noxu surprised Sam by removing the tray, and scooping Sam up.

Noxu started rocking and holding him close, much to Sam’s annoyance, hushing him softly in his ear as long fingers stroked his back in a gesture meant to be soothing.

Sam was intentionally stiff in Noxu’s arms. Being held wasn’t any better than being in the highchair! “Kso!” Sam tried again, pushing against Noxu’s chest. “No! Kso!”

But it was useless against Noxu’s superior strength. Sam struggled for a few more seconds, but he knew he wouldn’t get anywhere until Noxu thought he’d calmed down.

Sam forced himself to take deep breaths, clutching onto the material of Noxu’s robe to keep himself from being forced into a hug from the pressure of Noxu’s hand on his back.

Soon enough, Noxu pulled away from Sam a bit, cooing and peering into his face with obvious concern. Sam scowled at refused to look at Noxu, continuing to push away as much as he could.

Noxu grabbed something out of Sam’s line of sight, and started to take Sam out of the kitchen. Noxu stepped into a sort of sitting room, large with green and blue, soft looking seats, and a soft looking carpet.

Noxu sat down, settling Sam so that he was on his back in one of Noxu’s arms, and Sam recognized the feeding position from his earliest days in this dimension. Noxu held the bottle up for Sam again, but Sam kept his lips stubbornly sealed. But Noxu was stubborn, and Sam was fed up, and finally he gave up, accepting the bottle just to get the feeding over with.

Sam sat stiffly in Noxu’s arms as he was fed, doing his best to ignore the way Noxu rocked him and hummed at him. But he refused to let himself be soothed. He’d never asked for this. He didn’t _want this_.

But he didn’t know what to do about it.

* * *

 

Dean was dozing on Vava. He was so close to nodding off, but he had too many thoughts racing through his head for him to truly fall asleep. He kept glancing around the room, and he couldn’t help the swooping feeling in his stomach at the sight of it.

It was _his room_. His and Sam’s.

There was no mistaking it. Vava and Noxu had adopted them, and brought them to their home. It wasn’t like his room at the bunker. It wasn’t like _anything_ Dean would have set up for himself. There were bright colors, plush carpet and bedding. The room was warm and cheery in a way that was so…unmistakably _childish_.

But…Vava and Noxu had set it up. _For them_. They’d carved out a place in their home, their lives, and gave it to them, without asking anything in return. It wasn’t that Dean was suddenly enjoying baby-life. Nope…he could do _without_ the diapers, thank you very much. But he couldn’t ignore the way that these giants, who had no blood obligation, no debt, no benefit, had taken them in and cared for them.

Loved them.

It was obvious. Dean knew he wasn’t the most open person when it came to emotions. Normally, they could stay under lock and key, forgotten in the dark. But that didn’t mean he was blind to what was going on here. Vava loved him. Noxu loved him, and they clearly both loved Sammy too.

When was the last time someone loved them like that? When was the last time someone cared about doing what was best for them, and then did it?

Bobby had been like that. He’d carved out a place in his life, his home, for him and Sam, long after he should have kicked them to the curb. Dad…Dad had loved them, Dean knew it. But there was always his _revenge_ , his righteous quest that meant that they’d had to take a back burner. And Mom…

Dean’s hand fisted into Vava’s robe. He _really_ didn’t want to think about Mom right now. But now that he’d started…he couldn’t help it. Where was she right now? Hunting with that British asshole? Had she called since they’d fallen into this dimension? Did she even know her sons were trapped and at the mercy of giants?

Dean felt his eyes burning, and he buried his head in Vava’s shoulder, pressing back his emotions. As if sensing Dean’s distress, Vava started to rubbing his back, hushing him in that deep soothing voice, and Dean almost wanted to laugh, bitterness swelling in his stomach. How fucked up was it that a giant from another dimension was a better parent than his own mother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevit Word Guide
> 
> Kso - No  
> Tirend ya - Open up  
> Prican corryor, surver, ma? - What's wrong, my little one?  
> Kso tooma - No baby


	30. A Plan of No Escape

Throughout his feeding, Sam’s mind was racing.

Noxu had continued to try and sooth him, but Sam steadfastly ignored the giant, even when Noxu cooed sadly at him. No. He wouldn’t let himself be guilted by a soppy expression.

Sam had tried to play nice, he’d tried to go along with the whole thing, in hopes that they would eventually understand him, but Sam was realizing that he’d really gotten _nowhere_. Vava and Noxu were no closer to understanding him than they’d been to finding Kelly before they’d fallen into this dimension. And Sam decided that this plan was _finished_. Which left Sam with only one clear path.

He and Dean would have to escape.

Sam was sure they could manage it. Vava and Noxu were underestimating their skills. He and Dean were _hunters_ , bars on a crib and tall furniture couldn’t keep them trapped forever.

Once they were free of this ridiculous baby nonsense, they could start finding a way home. Sam was honestly feeling frustrated with himself for not making any progress towards getting home before now. Sam knew that Castiel had to be looking for them, but who knew what was going on in their home dimension? Cas could have gotten side tracked with the Men of Letters’ meddling, or maybe something with Kelly and the nephilim. What if something bad had happened? What if Cas needed their help, and they were stuck over here, sucking on pacifiers?!

Sam had made up his mind, and having a new game plan was invigorating. So Sam ignored Noxu as much as he could, making his displeasure as known as he could, waiting for Noxu to take him back upstairs to where Dean was with Vava, so they could plan their escape.

After he’d been fed (and burped), and after a few agonizing minutes of Noxu trying to get Sam to interact a bit, Noxu started to take Sam back upstairs.

When Noxu went into the nursery, Vava was folding clothes into a chest of drawers, and Dean was sitting in a playpen in the corner, dozing as he leaned back against a plush doll, his hands behind his head, and a pacifier moving rhythmically between his lips.

When he saw Noxu setting Sam down into the playpen, Dean sat up, carelessly spitting out the pacifier and smiling a little at Sam.

Noxu hadn’t moved five steps away before Sam spoke his mind.

“This isn’t working,” Sam said seriously. “I’ve had just about all of the baby talk I can take. They won’t listen to me, so its time to do something different.”

Dean was a little taken aback. “Okay…” Dean said slowly, his face scrunching up in a frown. “So, what do you want to do?”

“We need to break out.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “What?”

Pushing himself up, Sam started pacing the playpen, looking around at the mesh walls. “We’d need to rip the mesh if we want to escape from here,” he said, not noticing Dean’s surprise. “Of course, I think our best bet is just to wait until night. The crib bars will be a bit easier to climb over, if we just use the pillows and bedding, and then we’ll have a better chance of getting out without Vava or Noxu noticing right away.”

“Uh, Sam…” Dean cut into Sam’s rambling, still sitting on the ground. “There’s a couple problems there. First of all, I’m not back on my feet yet. I haven’t been able to walk without holding onto something since I got sick. There’s no way I can climb out of the crib, much less run anywhere on foot.”

Sam frowned. He’d forgotten about that. “Okay…fine. We’ll wait a few more days while you get your strength back. Then we’ll go.”

“Go?” Dean said, staring at Sam like he’d grown an extra head. “Go _where_ , Sam?”

“Anywhere but here!” Sam huffed angrily. “We need to start figuring out a way to get home. We’ve wasted enough time as it is. Once we don’t have giants sticking us in a playpen all the time, we can figure out how to get home.”

Dean’s face was oddly pinched, and he shook his head, much to Sam’s surprise. “Sammy…come on man. Think about this for a second. We’re in a foreign dimension. We’ve got no idea what’s out there! I already almost died because of some stupid pathogen. How the hell are we going to manage finding stuff that’s edible? Clean water to drink? What’s dangerous and what can help us? We’re literally blind here.”

Dean saw Sam’s jaw clench, a tell for Sam’s stubborn Winchester genes rearing their ferocious head. “We’ve managed living of unfamiliar lands before. You did it for a whole year in Purgatory! We’ll figure it out, like we always do. We’ll be fine.”

Dean shook his head in disbelief. “Sam, you don’t know that. We don’t know _anything_ about this dimension. But Vava and Noxu do, and they’re looking out for us until Cas gets here. Why leave when we’re already as safe as we can be?”

“Yeah sure, we’re _safe_ alright,” Sam said bitterly. “Safe being treated like little kids and being fed from bottles, and safe from being able to find our way home! Do you even want to go home still? Or have you started to like sitting in pissy diapers too much!”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Of course I don’t _like it_. I’m as tired of the baby crap as you are, but…”

“And what about Cas? And Kelly?” Sam cut Dean off, not hearing him. “While we’ve been playing house, she could be ready to give birth at any moment, if she hasn’t already! And what about Mom…”

“What _about_ Mom?” Dean said over Sam, and suddenly his voice was angry, startling Sam.

“I mean…she’s probably worried about us,” he said a bit uncertainly as some of the steam left his sails.

“Yeah, if she’s even noticed we’re gone.”

Sam visibly deflated. “That’s not fair,” he said, his voice quieter. “You don’t know…she’s our mom. Of course she’s worried.

Dean shook his head. “Yeah? When’s the last time you talked to mom? I mean really talked to her? Not just a one answer text or through ‘Words with Friends?’ Because its been over a month for me!”

Sam couldn’t answer. He hadn’t spoken to mom for even longer than Dean had, and he knew Dean had only caught her because he’d called her first.

Dean could see the defeated look on Sam’s face, and he cursed under his breath, falling back onto his back and burying his face in his hands.

“Look… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…be so harsh or whatever. I just…”

Sam watched as Dean gave a huge sigh and sat back up, his arms propped up behind him on the ground.

“Just…I don’t think it makes enough sense to leave, is all I’m trying to say,” he said, more calmly now. “What’s changed that makes this so unbearable all of a sudden?”

Sam bit his lip, and slowly sank down, sitting across from Dean. “I…I don’t know. I’m just tired, I guess. I’m tired of…of not feeling in control, and of having people make decisions for me.”

Dean was looking at Sam seriously, but Sam was avoiding his eyes. “I get that. Really, I do. We’ve been jerked around enough, and you have more so than me.” Sam looked up at Dean, feeling surprised, but Dean wasn’t finished. “And now, we’ve got giants dictating our lives 24/7, and no real way to help ourselves.”

Sam nodded slowly, agreeing with Dean. “Yeah…I guess that’s the thing that’s getting to me the most. We’re seriously helpless here.”

“But look at it this way. Usually, when someone tries to screw around with our lives, they’re doing it for their own gain, and don’t care if we get hurt in the process. But…that’s not what’s happening here.”

Dean looked over at Vava and Noxu, and Sam followed his gaze. The two giants were folding clothing over by the dresser, talking to each other and smiling.

“They’re not keeping us here for some ulterior purpose. Hell, they don’t gain a damn thing by keeping us. All they’ve done is to take care of us, because they _care_ about us.”

Sam watched as Vava held up an outfit, probably one for Dean, and Noxu gave him a delighted smile. “Yeah. I know they do.”

“We’ll figure this out,” Dean said, drawing Sam’s attention back to him. “You’re learning their language, and we’ll keep our eyes out for something that can get us back home. But for now, we’re in a completely unknown place, and we’ve got no idea what kind of dangerous stuff is out there. We’re no more trapped in this dimension that we would be if we were out there alone somewhere. And Vava and Noxu have been so kind to us…I don’t know. I just feel like leaving without an explanation would be a kind of dick move.”

Now that Sam thought about it, he agreed with Dean. It didn’t make sense to try an escape, not when they had everything they need to not only survive, but live comfortably here. And Dean was right, it wasn’t like staying here was giving up…they were still trying to get home. But Dean’s words about Noxu and Vava created a tiny sliver of unease in Sam.

Because it was obvious, wasn’t it? That Vava and Noxu cared about them? They’d gone through all this trouble, nursing Dean through that illness, easing Sam through his panic attack, built them a whole room, _adopted_ them…

“You’re right,” Sam said, and now his voice was strained from his realization. “But Dean…what happens when we figure out a way home? Or when Cas finally reaches us? Are we just…are we going to leave Vava and Noxu behind, after everything they’ve done for us?”

Sam saw Dean’s jaw clench, and now Sam understood why Dean had been acting so odd lately. He’d been thinking the same thing.

“I…don’t know, Sammy,” he said. “I really don’t know.”


	31. Home Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I don't have anything to say really. Just wanted to give you all thanks for the comments and kudos you've been leaving me! It encourages me to keep going! hope you like this chapter :)
> 
> Edit: I kept looking at this chapter and wondering what the heck was missing, and realized I forgot to post half of it! The top half of the chapter was missing in the original upload, but otherwise the content and story is still the same! Sorry for the confusion.

Keelo and Noxu had decided to take a few days off from work after the adoption, so they would be better prepared to accommodate Sahi and Deera as they were introduced to their new home.

Sahi’s initial reaction to the house hadn’t been thrilled, but given a bottle and some time with Deera in their familiar playpen, she seemed to calm right down, much to Noxu’s relief.

Deera was thriving, adjusting to the new space as if he was already familiar with it, and while Sahi was a bit more shy, Deera’s acceptance of the new space seemed to encourage Sahi to do the same.

Keelo and Noxu took their younglings downstairs in the late afternoon, and spent hours reading books, playing games, and sneaking in cuddle sessions. Everything was going better than either of Keelo or Noxu could have hoped.

All too soon, the sun had set. Both Sahi and Deera had had a bottle of milk, and it was nearing time fore bed.

Noxu moved slowly to get Deera dressed for bed, Keelo noticed. He smiled to himself as he changed Sahi and slipped on a pair of long pajamas on her, understanding what Noxu was feeling. This day had been so wonderful, that neither of them wanted it to end.

Sahi and Deera were legally their children now. They’d brought them to the house where they would build their home, and besides Sahi’s first stubborn reaction, the younglings had settled in quickly. It felt happy and warm, it felt _permanent_. This was the first day of the rest of their lives…as a family.

Noxu cooed at Deera, lightly tickling the baby’s sides before scooping him up in zis arms and holding him close as zee bounced and rocked him. Noxu took Deera over to a wide couch, and kissed the baby’s head.

Finishing up with Sahi, Keelo scooped up his beautiful little girl with a kiss to the top of her head, and headed over to sit next to Noxu.

Noxu curled up into Keelo’s side as soon as he sat down, and Keelo kissed the top of Noxu’s head as he’d done to Sahi. They didn’t speak, they didn’t have to. Keelo started to hum a lullabye as they cradled Sahi and Deera, sitting together as close as they could be. Keelo saw Sahi and Deera looking at each other, and Keelo thought that there was some meaning, unknown to him, in those looks. But both eventually snuggled up in their arms, sleep slowly creeping over them both.

Keelo couldn’t help but marvel at how far they’d come from the babies who feared and fought against every touch. Careful not to disturb them, Keelo held Sahi a bit tighter, feeling very complete.

* * *

 

The next few days passed in almost a blur.

Getting used to their new nursery wasn’t as disorienting as Sam first thought it would be.

Vava and Noxu stuck to the same general routine that they’d had in their old room. Bottles, time in the playpen, reading and playing silly games. After the first night, Noxu had taken them outside to the house’s backyard while Vava was making bottles.

That had been cool, Sam still wasn’t used to the blue color of the grass, and he had a good time exploring for rocks and insects that he weren’t in any way similar to what he was used to seeing. Sam was also interested to see the flowers that were growing near the house, spiraling upwards much like the trees of this dimension.

Dean was clearly enjoying the fresh air and sunlight. He lounged for a while on Noxu’s lap, but after a while he wiggled down into the grass in front of the giant, and using Noxu’s legs, pulled himself to his feet shakily. Dean was using one hand on Noxu to keep himself upright as he attempted to take a few steps, but when he started to fall, Noxu had scooped him up and held him once again. Dean had seemed content to stay in Noxu’s lap after that. Then Vava had come outside and brought the three of them inside for lunch.

Despite Sam’s first misgivings, the house itself was really charming. Sam was having a good time exploring the rooms, always followed by Vava or Noxu, who would pull him away from anything they didn’t want him getting into. Which was a bit frustrating, but there was so much to _discover_ in this house.

Everywhere he went, Sam would point at ask, “Prican adi?” to find out what it was called. Dean wasn’t exploring as much, and to Sam’s amusement, Noxu and Vava had started putting Dean in a sort of bouncer. Dean had looked completely exasperated at the contraption, but Sam had to admit, it was probably really good for Dean to build up the strength in his legs. Sam also knew that Dean was actually using the bouncer whenever he thought Sam wasn’t in the room.

The beds in the nursery were comfortable, _really_ comfortable. That first night, Sam had gotten the best night’s sleep he’d had in a long time. All the rooms were filled with soft couches and cushions, and Vava and Noxu had taken to initiating long cuddle sessions will all four of them, especially when they were trying to ease them both to bed. It might have bothered Sam, but seeing the happy looks on Vava and Noxu’s faces as they looked at them, and at each other, Sam couldn’t find it in him to protest. Especially since Dean seemed to be begrudgingly accepting it as well.

Dean and Sam were avoiding the topic they’d talked about earlier. Neither of them really knew what they were going to do about Vava and Noxu when the time came to go. They seemed to have mutually decided to be as nice to them as they could be, knowing that inevitably this whole charade would be exposed.

Sam started to wonder what actually _would_ happen when Vava and Noxu realized that they’d been taken care of grown men this whole time. What would the giants’ reactions be? Would they be angry? It wasn’t as if they were intentionally trying to mislead them, Noxu and Vava were the ones who’d made the assumption that they were children. Sam had been doing everything he knew to do so far to correct the mistake too…but…

What if they _were_ angry when then found out the truth?

For some reason, the thought scared Sam. Now that he understood just how deeply Vava and Noxu cared about them, the possibility of them being angry, maybe _hating_ him and Dean…

It made Sam’s stomach feel sick in a way that he didn’t understand.

So Sam tried not to think about it, and instead focused on his immediate surroundings, getting used to the new environment. And it didn’t really take long, before Sam knew it, this house had become as familiar as the MOL bunker.

But of course, as it always inevitably happened in their lives, as soon as Sam had gotten comfortable in their new surroundings, something changed…

And that something was the unexpected arrival of a group of giants entering the house.


	32. Yiya and Mima

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: So I done goofed. When I uploaded the last chapter, I left out litterally half of what I wrote, and just now only realized it. Its not super plot important, I guess, but its a nice little look into Keelo and Noxu's life. So go back and read the top half of the last chapter again! I added it where it was supposed to go. Sorry about that guys!

Settling into their new home had gone better than Keelo could have imagined. Keelo had half expected to have to go back to the lab to put the younglings back in a familiar environment, at least for a while. But Deera was content, and Sahi’s curious nature ensured that they would stay in their house on their first night, and in every night thereafter.

Keelo was thrilled, because he desperately wanted his children to feel comfortable in their new home. Especially since he couldn’t hold off a visit from his parents any longer!

The new home he was sharing with Noxu had four bedrooms, one was being used as a nursery, one was for Noxu and Keelo, and the other two were currently guest rooms, just barely furnished, but it was the perfect place for both his parents and Noxu’s to come and visit.

Keelo had had to do a lot of convincing to keep his mother and father from coming down the day they’d adopted Sahi and Deera officially. It wasn’t that he wasn’t excited for them to meet his children, in fact, Keelo was probably just as anxious and excited as his parents. But Keelo was afraid that exposing Sahi and Deera to a new environment, _and_ the potentially overwhelming experience of meeting their grandparents, would be too much for the younglings to handle.

Despite how comfortable Sahi and Deera had become with him and Noxu, Keelo knew that the younglings were still overall wary and mistrustful of adults they didn’t know. It was easy to forget how much they’d struggled at the beginning, especially Deera with how clingy he’d been recently. But the past abuse they’d likely experienced wasn’t erased just because he and Noxu had gained their trust. Keelo had been acutely aware of their unease at the tribunal, the way both younglings watched the adults around them, and tried to shrink away to be unnoticed. There was a high possibility that Sahi and Deera wouldn’t react well to meeting their grandparents, and so Keelo had been sure to tell both his and Noxu’s parents about the possibility.

Thankfully, they were completely understanding, and they agreed to give Keelo and Noxu a few days to get Sahi and Deera settled before coming to visit. While they’d been waiting, Keelo’s parents had actually been in contact with Noxu’s, and they’d been discussing how their grandchildren would call each of them, much to Keelo’s amusement.

Normally, Keelo’s parents would have been called Yiyi for Keelo’s father, and Yiya for his mother. Those were the names that children normally called their paternal grandparents. But though Keelo was male, he’d taken more of a motherly role for Sahi and Deera, and they called him Vava, while Noxu was called by zis name. But more recently, after Deera had started calling zim “No,” or ‘Nono,” Sahi had started calling Noxu that as well. The sevit word for “daddy” was “Nunu,” and it was so close to what Deera was calling zim, that Noxu had definitely been thinking of zimself as their father.

So, even though it was a tad unconventional, Noxu’s parents decided to take on the paternal grandparent names of Yiyu and Yiya, while Keelo’s parents would take the maternal grandparent names, and be called Mimu and Mima.

Keelo’s parents liked the idea, since they already had a grandchild from their daughter who called them Mimu and Mima, and it would be less confusing for Sahi and Deera when they eventually met their cousin.

So a few days after the adoption, Sahi and Deera seemed mostly relaxed in their new home, and all four grandparents finally arrived to greet them.

Noxu was reading to Sahi when they arrived, while Deera was playing in his bouncer. Keelo was washing bottles from their lunch, when a knock on their door signaled the arrival of guests.

Both Deera and Sahi froze at the knock, Keelo noticed as he went to the door to let them in. Keelo smiled when he opened the door, ready to great them, but hastily stepped to the side as the newly christened Yiya and Mima excitedly brushed their way in, offering Keelo a quick hello before focusing on the two little humans inside the living room, and heading straight towards them.

Keelo couldn’t help but laugh at the grandmothers’ shared excitement, and distractedly said hello to his and Noxu’s fathers, anxious despite himself for his younglings.

Deera had been lazily bouncing in his saucer all morning, while Noxu was in the middle of a new book with Sahi sitting in his lap when the two women came in. Noxu noticed how Deera had frozen in his bouncer and Sahi had tensed up in his lap at the arrival of their grandparents, but forced zimself to remain relaxed and open, hoping that zee would keep the younglings calm by staying calm zimself.

Noxu smiled up at his and Keelo’s mothers where they’d paused a few feet away from them, allowing Sahi to sink back into zis arms. “Hi Vava!” Noxu said warmly to zis mother, keeping zis voice carefully low to keep the excitement in the room down. “Or should I start calling you ‘Yiya’ now?”

“Yiya, of course,” she sniffed, but she was unable to keep her smile from her face. “I’m finally a grandmother, and I intend to use my new title.” Since Noxu was sitting near the doorway, Yiya approached zim and Sahi first, crouching down to get more on Sahi’s level. “My my, what a beautiful little girl…” she said, and Noxu could already hear the pride in her voice. “And an academic too! It’s a good thing Yiyu and I brought books and games.”

Yiya was reaching out towards Sahi, moving slowly, even as Sahi drew back even farther into Noxu’s chest. Noxu felt a bit torn, wanting zis mother to be able to make contact with zis little girl, but also feeling the need to protect Sahi from something that was making her feel uneasy. Ultimately, Noxu sat still as Yiya’s fingers brushed gently against Sahi’s hair, and zee rubbed circles comfortingly into Sahi’s thigh with zis thumb when she initially flinched, but to Noxu’s relief, she didn’t get upset or draw away.

Yiya cooed in sympathy at Sahi, but continued to brush her hair, determined to show the little one that she wouldn’t hurt her. Meanwhile, Mima had inched over towards Deera in the bouncer and the two were staring at each other intently.

Again, Noxu was anxiously torn, knowing Keelo’s mother was generally good with children, and that she already loved zis children so much, but also feeling so protective of them when they weren’t comfortable. But Noxu was distracted with Yiya and Sahi interacting in front of zim, and Keelo was talking with their fathers to allow time for Sahi and Deera to only have to focus on two of the new adults instead of all four. So Noxu watched out of the corner of zis eye as Deera stared up at Mima, the tiniest little glare in his gaze, almost as if he were warning her to stay away. Yet Keelo’s mother wasn’t deterred.

She stood slightly crouched in front of the bouncer, maintaining eye contact with the baby, and then she had scooped Deera up from the bouncer and was cradling him in her arms like a newborn, faster than a blink of the eye.

Deera was clearly shocked, and Noxu heard a sound of choked surprise from Keelo in the entryway, but despite the death grip Deera had on Mima’s sleeve, Deera didn’t dissolve into a tantrum or a panic like Noxu would have expected.

Mima had immediately started rocking Deera in her arms, bouncing and swaying gently as she cooed and continued to hold Deera’s eyes with her own. “Hello baby,” Mima sang softly. “Hello! Such a precious little one. My little Deera. Mima is so happy to meet you.”

Noxu was honestly amazed. Deera hadn’t relaxed into Mima’s arms, not by a long shot, but he wasn’t fighting or flailing like he’d done when he’d first come into zis and Keelo’s care. Instead, the baby still seemed wary, but he wasn’t closed off from Mima either. He was studying her intently, his eyes flickering over to Noxu and Sahi, before snapping back to Mima’s face.

“Such a handsome boy…” Mima continued, her voice wavering with happiness. Keelo approached his mother and his youngling, watching with slight awe as Mima gently stroked the side of Deera’s face, and the baby _allowed_ her to. Not wanting to interrupt whatever was happening between them, Keelo stood slightly behind his mother, so he could watch Deera for signs of true distress, but at the same time, he had a feeling of deep certainty that he wouldn’t need to step in at all.

Mima continued to coo and run her finger gently over the baby’s skin, gazing into Deera’s eyes all the while. “I’m your Mima, Deera. Mima’s so happy to meet you. Mima loves you…Mima loves you so much…”

Deera’s brow scrunched adorably, as if the baby was in deep thought, and he reached his hand up to where Mima was stroking his face. He wrapped his hand around Mima’s one finger, stopping the stroking motion, but continued to hold it in his tiny little fist. “Mima?”

Tears of joy began running down Mima’s face instantly, and Keelo could feel his heart nearly bursting.

“Yes, yes I’m your Mima,” Keelo’s mother said, with a wide smile stretched across her face, and she pulled Deera closer to her, hugging him close and kissing the top of his head over and over.

(artwork once again by the amazingly talented AvatarToph)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to update weeks and weeks ago, and holidays just got the better of me! Sorry for the long wait, I hope you like this first meeting, and that the grandparent names aren't too confusing!
> 
> As always, feel free to ask me any questions here or over at my tumblr. I'll answer the best that I can!
> 
> Sevit Word/Character Guide
> 
> Yiya - paternal grandmother, Noxu's mother, female  
> Mima - maternal grandmother, Keelo's mother, female  
> Yiyu - paternal grandfather, Noxu's father, male  
> Mimu - maternal grandfather, Keelo's father, zeemale


	33. Mimu's Delima

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I've been MIA for a while. Sorry about that! Hope you like this chapter

Overall, the introductions between Sahi, Deera, and their new grandmothers couldn’t have gone better.

After Deera had called Mima’s name, immediately melting everyone’s hearts in the room, some of the tense atmosphere had dispersed, and the grandmothers were excitedly getting to know their small new grandchildren.

It had taken a good bit of coaxing, but Sahi had eventually been lured away from the safety of Noxu’s lap by Yiya, when the excited new grandmother offered her the new books and puzzles she’d bought. After a little while of playing with the puzzles on the ground, Yiya was even able to pick Sahi up, doling out praises of Sahi’s intelligence which, whether or not Sahi could understand the words’ meanings, caused the youngling to blush adorably.

Mima was also able to snag a snuggle from her now middle grandchild, delighting in the surprised giggle Sahi gave when Mima nuzzled her neck.

Sahi was also quick to recognize and use Yiya’s and Mima’s names, much to everyone’s delight. Though when the grandfathers joined in and introduced themselves, Sahi cocked her head in confusion when Keelo told her their names were Yiyu and Mimu. Eventually though, she seemed to understand, and for some reason her blush deepened. Nonetheless, she called them by their titles, and smiled shyly at Yiyu when he started to tickle her sides.

Deera seemed bashful, but not entirely displeased with the amount of attention he was receiving, and he was receiving a _lot_ of attention. Ever since he uttered Mima’s name, he’d never left someone’s arms for the entirety of the afternoon. At first, Mima and Yiya were trading off, changing places so they could meet each grandchild. Noxu’s father Yiyu had a great time holding Deera and tickling the little boy, pulling out an innocent look when the youngling glared at him, and always pretending it hadn’t been him! _Clearly_ it was someone else doing the tickling.

Everything was a confusing jumble of trading the babies between them, smiles and pictures being taken, and lots of laughter, especially from the adults. Keelo had lost it when everyone realized that Mima had taken Deera _again_ , and now even had Sahi in her lap too.

“Vava, you’re a baby hog!” Keelo laughed delightedly, and Mima grinned unapologetically, even as Yiya coaxed Sahi to come back to her.

It was so much better than Keelo had imagined. His children were…well. Thrilled wasn’t the right word. They seemed a bit overwhelmed, if he was being honest. But they were smiling and giggling, and there was none of that tenseness in their bodies that would be there if they were afraid. They were content, if not relaxed, and each hour that passed, Keelo watched as his children grew more comfortable with their new family, and it was _perfect_.

Well… _almost_ perfect.

Noxu was in the kitchen preparing bottles when Keelo finally noticed that his father hadn’t once held either of his children. Mimu was sitting in the corner in a chair, watching the other adults playing with the younglings attentively, but making no move to go and join them zimself.

Concerned, Keelo wondered if his father was feeling alright, or if perhaps he just hadn’t noticed Mimu interacting with his children amidst all the chaos.

Quietly, Keelo slipped into the kitchen to where Noxu was prepairing bottles for Sahi and Deera, and getting lunch together. 

“What’s wrong?” Noxu said immediately, sensing Keelo’s concern.

“Its my father,” Keelo answered quietly. “Have you seen zim interacting with Sahi or Deera at all this morning?”

Noxu shook his head, zis face becoming concerned as well. “No…now that I think about it.”

“Zee’s been withdrawn since zee and Vava got here. I’m starting to feel worried about zim.”

“Would you like me to talk to zim?” Noxu asked, bottles forgotten in zis hands.

“No, you get the younglings’ lunches ready. I can talk to him to find out what’s wrong,” Keelo said reassuringly. He gave Noxu a quick peck on the side of the head before sneaking back out into the living room, sidling around the corners of the room until he was standing by his father.

“Dad, can I get you anything to drink?” Keelo asked, and Mimu turned to Keelo with a blink of surprise, not having noticed him.        

“No, that’s alright,” zee said with a wave of zis hand, eyes going back like magnets to the younglings on the carpet.

For a moment, Keelo watched his dad, his concern growing. “Is…everything okay? You haven’t held either Sahi or Deera yet.”

Mimu didn’t turn to look at Keelo, but zee waved zis hand again with a little grunt. “Everything’s fine. Your mother and Noxu’s parents are fighting for the younglings attention enough. They don’t need me crowding the little ones.”

“I could bring them over here?” Keelo offered. “Sit them in your lap. That way you don’t need to get on the ground if your knees are bothering you.”

Mimu shook zis head at the idea immediately, surprising Keelo a good bit. Mimu seemed to realize that zis reaction had been rather strong, and zee sighed, rubbing zis hand down zis face.

“Keelo…I’m sorry. I know I must seem rude,” Mimu said, still not looking at Keelo. “But…I am not small. I know that I’m taller than most, and many times younglings are intimidated by my size. And after what you told me about your children’s past…” Mimu trailed off, swallowing thickly and looking a bit teary eyed. “The… _abuse_ …they suffered. I can’t bear the thought of frightening them. Perhaps its better if I just sit back.”

“Oh, Nunu,” Keelo said sadly. “You’re excellent with children! You helped Vava with her classes when she was a teacher. Besides, you’re the gentlest sevit I know. There’s no chance you could hurt my children.”

“But _they_ may not understand that,” Mimu said stubbornly, “and I don’t want to risk sending them into a panic. Even Liha is shy around me, and she’s known me all her life.”

Keelo bit his lip when his father brought up his niece Liha. It was true that Liha was pretty shy around Mimu. “Liha is shy around _everyone_ , Nunu. It’s just the age that she’s at. And she always warms up to you when you see her! My children will warm up to you too, they just need to be around you for a little while.”

But Mimu was still unmoved, looking grim and sad at the same time as zee settled back farther into the chair. “I don’t want to scare them,” zee insisted. “Maybe…later, when things aren’t as overwhelming. I want to hold them so badly Keelo, but I can’t, not if there's even a chance I'll scare them.”

Keelo sighed and stood up, recognizing when his father couldn’t be moved from zis stubbornness. In the next moment, Noxu was calling everyone for lunch, and Mima and Yiyu were happily carrying his children to the dining area. Mimu followed at a distance, and Keelo trailed along after zim, deep in thought. Perhaps he’d talk to his mother after lunch, to see if she couldn’t reassure his father better than he’d been able to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sevit Word/Character Guide
> 
> Vava - Mommy/Mama  
> Nunu - Daddy/Papa  
> Mima - Grandma (maternal); Keelo's mother, female  
> Yiya - Grandma (paternal); Noxu's mother, female  
> Yiyu - Grandpa (paternal); Noxu's father, male  
> Mimu - Grandpa (maternal); Keelo's father, zeemale


End file.
